Saturday was my one year anniversary on Intstagram. What a year it’s been!! I have been reawakened as an artist! I have met (albeit virtually) some incredibly kind, talented, funny, artistic, creative and giving people, who have helped to give me a new outlook on myself, art, photography, social media and much, much more!

Throughout the day, I found myself reminiscing on some crucial moments in my IG life, times when other artists gave me a word of advice, or offered a compliment that meant a lot. I feel like I’ve grown so much, in large part to their inclusiveness, but also just by looking at their great work. Art doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We are influenced by what we see. And many of the challenges that I participated in allowed me to stretch a bit, try something that I wouldn’t have otherwise.

I thanked many of them, on IG, with little notes about how much they’ve meant to me. I didn’t get to all of them, but hopefully, as it makes sense, I can tell the rest who’ve been such a help, just how grateful I am.

Big thanks to a real-life friend who showed me the app a year ago, thinking it might be something I’d like. Little did she or I know how much of an impact it would have on me. I probably wouldn’t be making art, at least not to the extend I currently am. This website wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be selling my work on Etsy. I wouldn’t be hanging my work locally and having a resurgence of interest and plans for more.

Thank you, Instagram! Thank you, my IG family!! XOXO-Ella67