By Jen Merritt – Arts Editor

I hover on the outskirts of Chatham-Kent’s art community – Mesh Night here, Community Art Initiative there, classes at TAG, classes at TIA – I’m one of those gals that some people refer to as artsy but who remains unknown in the official arts circle. I’m a renegade crafter, deconstructing bedsheets to make quirky quilts and pulling apart sweaters to crochet random flowered scarves. I don’t have my BFA, and I’ve never had the guts to call myself an artist, but I did spend two ecclectic months in Haliburton studying the Expressive Arts, and now I’m not afraid to call myself creative.

When I was asked by the Chatham Kent Daily Post to edit an arts column, I jumped at the chance to enhance my creative stake in Chatham-Kent. With that said, welcome to the ‘Arts Column’ in the Chatham Kent Daily Post. I will  be the coordinator of this section and am open to any suggestions, column contributions, DIY tutorials, reviews, event coverage, etc. that you may have to offer. I would like to stress that the invitation to participate is extended to people with extensive art backgrounds as well as those of you who are just starting to venture out into the world of artistic self-expression.

Chatham-Kent’s art community is growing, and whether you’re already involved or would like to slowly… inch… your… way… in like I have, I encourage you give it whirl. I look forward to hearing from you, and if you’re feeling intimidated about putting yourself out there, remember this: if I learned anything from my time spent in Haliburton, it’s that art is anything through which you express yourself – visual, movement, written word, music, sand, drama, play… and it’s just as much about the process as it is about the final product.

Take care,

Jen