Valentine's Day is a great day to remind yourself to love the artwork you create and not be concerned with judging your finished product.

If you enjoy the process of making art, the splashing and brushing on of the paint, the feel of the pencil as it scratches the paper, the adding a bit of this and that and the choosing of where and what to add to your work, then that is more then enough.

In our fast paced society it's fortunate and stress reducing to make something with our own hands, based on our personal designs and choice of materials. Do we really need to judge our work after we have finished, washed our brushes and stored our paints? Perhaps a healthier alternative to criticism might be to congratulate yourself for taking the time to do something creative, for trying, for thinking out of the box, for taking a risk and exploring the world of art.

From now on, remember to be an "Artistic Explorer" not an "Art Critic". The next time someone asks me what my job is, I might answer, "I am an Art Astronaut."

Happy Valentine's Day