All my life I have been a creative person, but never felt I had the right to call myself an artist, because I let everything else come first: marriage, motherhood, schooling, working as a professional RN, progressive activism in the movements for peace, women's rights and the environment, and just the tasks of daily living. Every once in a while a work of art would find its way out, and people would ask "Are you an artist?" but I had to say no, I'm not. When I reached my 70's, now retired and my children grown, I decided to give art the time, attention and energy that I had never given it, to see if I am, in fact, an artist. The art began to flow, and now it is a strong and reliable part of my life. I am never lonely or bored or lacking inspiration, because art is my river and my boat and the wind that fills my sails.