I will admit that I have not been following Facebook the way I used to. As in, there are actually days I don’t check it. Okay, it may have even gotten to weeks. And I am pretty useless on Instagram, too. I do not check Instagram unless I receive a nudge to do so.

But I did check the other day. And, sadly, a woman that I went to high school with died. I had known she was having health issues. I am saddened by her death. She was a year ahead of me in school. She and her high school boyfriend married and just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. (It was truly a long time ago!) She reached out to me about 6 years ago because she realized that I had moved to a town where she had just moved from. We were both here for several years but didn’t know it.

Finding out that we had missed each other prompted me to read her posts a bit more carefully. She was an award-winning artist. I went to her website and looked at the beautiful work that she created. She worked in many mediums, and there was a painting that I really liked. I purchased a painting from her.

In case you missed this lesson, that is what you should do. Buy the work. Support the artist, writer, potter. We all need the support. Creatives don’t have performance reviews that mean they will get a raise. They depend on you buying their work and your word of mouth.

Just think of it: they put in the hours to write the book, paint the painting, and spin the wheel, and then they have to bring their piece out in the world and sell it. It is a lot of work, and most of them would much rather be in the studio than out trying to get noticed by the world. So help them.

Do you have a friend who is an artist? How many of their paintings do you own? Oh, and do not expect a discount when you buy a painting from them. Pay them the price they are asking. Respect them enough to know how much their work is worth. They are the ones facing the world and trying to sell their work. And when you have company over, tell them about your friend the artist.

In my town, there are several authors. The Library Friends group has author sessions quarterly. One of the Friends Board Members is great friends with one of the local authors. She pushed for the author to be one of the speakers, and then she told everyone she knows about the event and filled the room. There isn’t a book club meeting that she doesn’t suggest the author’s work. She made sure that the author joined the Friends group and brings her to events to talk about her books. That is what a friend does. She/he sees opportunities and helps her friend.

See if you can get on a mailing list for your creative friend and keep up to date with all the things going on in their life. Go to their book signings, their gallery openings, their shows.

A little attention can go a long way. I am so glad that I supported Diane so that she could know that I appreciated her work. Do the same for your friends.