Warrior Mage LC by



So, if you haven't guessed by now, I am not, in any likelihood, going to be uploading anything to DA anymore. I'm not LEAVING DA, but not planning to post anything more. I would love it if you kept on reading to find out why.

Relax, I'm not going to go into a sob story about why or a rant about anything wrong - in this "last" journal post I will note a few things or concern and reveal the biggest reason I'm not posting or actively creating visual art as I have before.

Do note that I suppose that I will still be around, but only in an art-appreciation capacity. Those of you that would like to keep in touch can do so by DA Notes or MSN or FaceBook or email.

Yes, I regret that my drive to create visual art as dissipated. There are several factors as to why. There is a big reason which I have outlined further on in this post but I want to note of one, possibly the saddest reason, first. It's sad to say that several people who had drawn me into this artistic realm have now since drifted out of DA and out of my life. I find that my inspiration to create in a visual form has gone with them. I no longer have any drive to create visual art for myself anymore. If I am every requested to draw something again, I would be overjoyed to do so. My lack of inspiration for myself is something I have accepted, but I would still revel in the joy to create something for you.

Please don't think that I'm "abandoning art" in such a cruel manner. Nor am I going to disable this account. The account, and myself will stay as a way to see and share the works from all you DA artists I have grown to love.

I really admire you "artists" here on DA - some of you may recall that I have never considered myself an "artist" even if you disagreed. This was always because I knew my artwork was created "just for fun" and I had no drive to focus my energies on that particular craft - something I have encouraged many of you "real artists" to do time and time again!

If you've bothered to read this far into the post I beg you to finish it all, as the last paragraph is the most meaningful.

Albeit bittersweet, my absence is in fact *not* a sad occasion. The truth (and the biggest reason for letting go of visual art as a past time) is that my passion for story telling and creating in the written form has been reawakened. I feel ready and bold for this new adventure I am taking on.

I have to say thank-you to some wonderful artistic angels I have met here on DA who have made me both question and resolve my decisions about writing - selecting the RIGHT media to share my stories. Some of you may remember my 'Hesitant Author' stamp - it's still something very meaningful to me and reflects how I have grown and matured enough in myself to embrace what I have been burning to create.

I fought long and hard to accept this media and realizing that it is truly a craft I want to perfect and focus my attention. It's been hard to overcome the "everyone's a writer" stigma and finally accept that maybe it's something I'm actually good at - hell I may have even gained the confidence to claim I am NOT the average writer and I will create brilliant and beautiful things. Do not mistake that for cockiness, it's a confidence everyone should have with whatever endeavor they are truly striving to achieve at. Often I have encouraged some of you here on DA to do the same with your art - I will now take my own advice and study what I think my personal artistic calling truly is.

I have very much enjoyed the past few years I've spent here and have found great joy in creating and learning new forms and techniques in the realm of visual art! But now, where my time was spend in PhotoShop before, it is much better spent in other applications like Word and Final Draft from now on.

Will I be posting my writing on DA? No, I will not. Sadly I have seen too many thefts of artwork through DA and I cannot bring myself to risk that with something so close to my heart. Those works that I feel strongly about have been removed from my gallery for that reason. I will be happy to share, privately, anything I've created if there is a request or collaboration. Some of my good DA friends have made beautiful creations for me in this endeavor and I will continue to follow up with you as I move forward in my project.

I leave you with this very strong and personal truth that I have found in myself...

Confidently, I say, without reservation, that I have finally accepted my writing for the RIGHT reasons - I will be creating for myself and for my love. If it is loved by other I will be so very happy, if it is not, I will know it was still created for the right reasons; it doesn't matter to me if my creative work wins me glory, I just want to create it for me. Often I have stressed to others here on DA that if you are not creating for your own love and passion then you are not creating for the right reasons. I have finally resolved my own personal demons about this and feel truly reborn into re-learning the craft of writing so I can create what I really love.

I do want to keep sharing my "artwork" with my friends in its new form. I hope that you will all love and support me in this new passion.

Thank-you!

I'm still here.

~Gina 'LadyCatra' Angelea~