HI! - My name is
Cindy Bettinger, and I'm honored to be accepted as a member of the Art Quilt Blog. I've only been an "official" member of the art world for a year, and that year has been wonderful. Most of my life has been spent developing my ability at the piano, first as a student and then as a teacher. I have a very small income from piano teaching, and feel called to continue teaching because I wholeheartedly believe that music the language of heaven and through music God helps and encourages His amazing creation. The funny thing is that I've always loved to make art, in every form, and why it never occurred to me to pursue art as a serious career is a complete mystery to me. Artistic expression has, until last January, remained in the "hobby" section of my life, where I spend time when I have time to spare. Over 10 yrs ago I discovered quilting, and I spent most of that "spare" time developing my skills, from hand-piecing to hand-quilting. Machine piecing and quilting. I already had embroidery, painting, sketching, portrait, beading, jewelry making and design skills that I had developed over the years, and when the recent enthusiasm world wide for art quilting and embellishing caught on, I jumped in with eyes wide open.
I'm seeking to find a way to meld my music and art together and I don't know how long the journey will be, nor what direction I will be taking. In the journey, I have simply given myself permission to play, and not only in my spare time, but in time that I set aside for this purpose. Along the way I hope to make connections with like minded creative people who are willing to explore with me, and to share inspiration. This year my goal is to at least support the cost of my blog with an income generated from my art rather than my music - which is probably a pretty modest goal, but it's big to me.
