Where it all began

I guess you can say that I was born with art already inside me, as I was drawing from when I could first hold a pencil.  During those early and formative years, my art evolved with me drawing horses, flowers, and little stick people. Until her passing and the sale of her home, those rough and sometimes not-good drawings, graced the walls of my maternal grandmother’s house for decades.

I understand that I inherited my talent and love of art from my paternal grandfather. While I’ve never seen any of his drawings to confirm this assertion, the idea of taking after him in some way fills me with joy and pride.

When I reached school age, it didn’t take long for art to become my favorite class or time of the day. Then, in middle school, I met my art teacher who spent the next seven years of my life, guiding and encouraging me to hone my skills. Being a good student in my studies allowed me to spend as much time in the art room (or band room) as I wished.

Hobby Art

My family encouraged me to pick art as my major in college. However, it didn’t take long for me to realize art was such a part of me that I couldn’t make it my living. The least bit of criticism felt like a personal attack and I struggled to follow the directions of my professors. If I didn’t find the subject matter interesting, I didn’t want to draw or paint it. I also wasn’t willing to put myself into the world in such a personal way only to risk rejection. So, I changed majors and art remained my hobby.

Over the years, I’ve drifted away from my art from time to time. Marriage, work, and children took precedence in my life. However, like a touchstone, I always returned to it. Especially when life got hard. Now that I’m older, I look back and realize that while my art has evolved, had I stuck with it, I’d be a much better artist than I am. Not that I’m bad by any means. I just know I could be better.

How My Art Has Evolved

The invention of YouTube and the internet in general has allowed my art to evolve in ways I might not have ever been able to achieve without attending classes. Being able to watch tutorial videos during bits of available time here and there provided me with the opportunity to hone my skills on my time. One of my favorite sites is The Virtual Instructor. This website is comprised of comprehensive videos that break down various mediums with instructions that are easy to follow. It’s one of the few places where I willingly pay for a subscription.

Art Therapy

When I found myself in renal failure art once again became my lifeline. It served as a form of therapy, allowing me to lose myself for hours in my creations. In addition to my family, my art became another reason for me to continue to battle through the disease and hang on. I wasn’t done creating.

When I woke up in the hospital in January 2024, paralyzed, my first thought wasn’t about how I couldn’t walk, but if I’d ever be able to draw again. Thankfully, since the version of PRES I had was indeed reversible I was able to quickly regain the function in my arms and hands. Just like my learning to walk again, with time, my muscle memory returned and I was able to wield a pencil again.

Back when I was in school, my art teacher worked to ensure his students tried as many forms of art as possible. By the time I reached college, my opinion solidified that I didn’t enjoy oil or acrylic painting. My interests drifted more toward graphite and colored pencil work. In the many years that have followed, I’ve extended my artistic mediums to include oil pastels and pen and ink work. Recently, I’ve begun exploring the use of alcohol markers in my art along with the use of watercolors as I also work to extend my skills.

If you want to see more of my art, please check out my Instagram