I would like to introduce myself and tell you what to expect from this column.

My name is Cathy Ledbetter and I live on our family’s ranch near the Spring Creek community. The Spring Creek Arts Guild currently exists mostly in my mind and has a membership of between one and four people. I am the only permanent member but other members of my family drift in and out of guild membership. I chose to name my somewhat imaginary organization an “arts guild” because I believe there are limitless ways to make art and all are equally valid. So that will be the theme of this column—art and the artist’s life from my very democratic viewpoint.

Meanwhile, if anyone would like to help me take SPAG (Spring Creek Arts Guild) out of my imagination and into reality, just let me know! I think most everyone enjoys art, whether they realize it or not. If you listen to music on the radio, or enjoy observing nature, or work at having a beautiful yard, or decorate your home, or keep your vehicle clean and shiny, or enjoy movies and television shows, or find yourself expressing yourself through the clothing you choose, or cook tasty foods—well, guess what! You are enjoying art and are probably being artistically expressive every day.

For example, we all need to eat to survive, but survival eating is probably too boring for most of us. Most of us like to cook and/or eat food that is appealing to our senses. In my view, once you cross the line from providing for survival mode to making things more pleasing and expressive, you are being artistic.

Now I know there will be people who don’t agree with my way of looking at things, and that’s fine. This is my story and I’m sticking to it! But for those who, like me, experience art in everyday life, I would like to hear from you—what you are doing, what you have observed, what your interests are, etc.

Here is a partial list of what is currently happening on the Spring Creek Art Scene: fiber arts including embroidery, quilting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and felting; photography, mostly of natural subjects; writing of all kinds; some carpentry and furniture design and construction; a little beading, jewelry-making, and embellishment; creative recycling; one member paints and draws, other members are trying to learn more about these media; a little architecture; as much landscape design as the animals will let me get away with (not much nowadays); and, everyone’s favorite, culinary arts (that’s code for cooking and eating good food).

What’s going on with your art scene? Let me know at SpringCreekArtsGuild@gmail.com, and look for more installments of this column in the future.