Being a part of a community is important and it is beneficial on so many levels. After living through the last few years of the Covid Pandemic, it’s gotten me to realize just how important being a part of a community is. We as humans need each other: For comfort, support, pep-talks, encouragement, laughter, strength and growth. Being on a “team” can make someone feel like they have a network of people that are there just for them, especially if they are alone or secluded from others.

Being a part of a community:

Gives us a sense of belonging.

Gives us meaning to our lives.

Enables us to share personal feelings and support perpetual growth of each other, ourselves and our environment.

Releases neuro-peptides, oxytocin and endorphins that help support the immune system.

Helps us realize that we’re not alone.

Shows us that we are valued.

I’m over here switching gears like crazy! Getting into the colder months and trying to prepare for a more “online presence,” my sweet hubby has helped me set up a LiveStream (YouTube and Twitch.tv) situation in my art studio. It now consists of two cameras and a microphone, which is a little intimidating, but I’m getting used to it! It’s kinda weird, I gotta admit, talking to a camera with not a whole lot of people watching (yet!). But it will happen in time.

This first YouTube stream that I did this morning was more work on my accordion folding watercolor village. It’s a double sided “card” that I painted on my LiveStream last night and then worked more on today.

If you’d like to check them out, click on the buttons below. I’m still playing around with how often and how long to schedule these streams, but for now, I’ve got them planned for Monday mornings (9AM), Wednesdays (7:30PM) and Thursdays (2PM) on Twitch. I haven’t quite figured out when I’ll be doing the YouTube Lives yet, but probably simultaneously with the Twitch channel.

I hope you’ll take a look over at these LiveStreams because I’ve got some fun and creative ideas to share in these communities. I think it’s important that we have places that we can go to chat, create and meet others that will build us up and encourage us. I’m not a big “go out” kind of person, and now that the winter months are nearly upon us, classes in my studio tend to slow down. Yet I still want a way that I can get together with others and have a nice time being creative and positive.

I’m hoping that this is a way we can connect, create and relax together! And I’m so looking forward to learning more about how this whole LiveStreams thing works and if it indeed catches on. Fingers crossed!!