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Get Out of My Face

Share your palate

By Zibby ProgressPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Art has never been a strong outlet for me, especially growing up in a town that stigmatizes this behavior.

Growing up as a young man in a small town has been the most challenging experience I have encountered. After overcoming addictions, and learning how to go after things in life, nothing has been tougher than existing in a small town with no outlet.

In a city there are plenty of things to do, see, and so many sights and sounds, you can almost be overstimulated by these kinds of environments, and you're almost robbed of your creative energy. The struggle of living in a city is learning how to retain enough of yourself to be available for your loved ones.

Living in a small town causes you to be left full of energy, and as most people know, especially living in the southwest, there are three things to do. Cruise, Eat, or Do drugs. Seldom are all three left untouched in a passer by town, to pass time. What a shame. We have so much opportunity to learn, to help, and to be loved. The hardest part about this conundrum is that I am the prime example of this. In many ways when I moved to the city, my skills emotionally were very underdeveloped, because of the lack of mental hygiene that had been handed to me. There is no discipline because it simply doesn't find a place in such an environment.

May I paint a picture for you. Outside of duty when you're a young man, helping your family develop land if you have it, or cleaning with mom if you have one, your day is left with this deep void. There is little that connects you to the people around you. Camaraderie comes from accomplishments done with your friends beside you, and we don't have these opportunities, nothing ever goes wrong inside a small town frequent enough to build that bond so that when something really does go sideways, no one knows how to do deal with it.

What if we were always ready. What if we were able to build ourselves into a strong fortress of ever loving peace and sociability. Instead of guessing what other people's businesses is, what if we took the time to structure some sort of bridge into these people's lives.

This is why I propose the idea of something healthy to outlet into. Sports go a long ways, and so do social events, but what about when no one feels like running on a hot day or the hubbub of a gathering is finally over. Why not commit to a project that has no end.

Painting has been a huge game changer for me, and I have only just begun the dynamic process of fully understanding what it has to offer. There is something binding of painting with my Grandmother that offers some sort of light in our memory of solid laughs and quiet banter to cleanse our soul of devious talking.

The images that we create have so much of a story to tell, while at the same time offer mystery and symbolism. The hardest part of this beautiful creation is cleaning up, and there is a solid way to again spend time with one another. I'm not saying that small towns are exceedingly rough, I love my small town. What I am saying is we need more space to connect and dream and imagine together, so that things as simple as bumping into me don't wind up starting a world war. Paint until your heart is content and then you'll see that your family will be renewed also.

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About the Creator

Zibby Progress

I will always share what my heart desires and show you a world you have never seen before help me accomplish my goals of sharing the love! I am always finding ways to help my friends, family and strangers around me. Health and construction.

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