Accidie in America

Glen Cram

I was born in London England in 1952, and become an immigrè to Canada when I was 8 years old. I grew up in Montreal during the tumultuous events of the 60s and 70s, studying anthropology, linguistics and art at McGill University, and imagining a life where I could pursue my creative interests full time. During this time I travelled extensively in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, reveling in the vast and varied history and art of such diverse cultures.
On graduating I went teaching native students in northern Quebec, where I met my lovely wife Roma. We moved to Toronto, where we had our two great kids, Sarah and Matthew, and I went to work designing websites for various media (Reuters, the Globe and Mail, MacLaren McCann) and financial organisations. Although I still dabbled in art, I had all but forgotten my dream of actually doing what I wanted for a living. Then I discovered the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, which showed me that I could in fact be both an artist and a success. I took courses in painting and sculpture, learning the classical techniques and applying them to my own interests and talents, until I felt confident enough to offer my services on a commission basis. I now run an Artist’s Way Meetup group, where I try to offer people in my situation the belief in themselves to follow their artistic heart and become who they really know themselves to be.