We’re all natural artists. That is, until some sort of authority, most likely an adult, tells us that we can’t draw, or we can’t paint — because we have no talent. That’s when we stop trusting our intuition and become influenced by outside sources. I think this drives many a natural artist underground. So far underground, that whatever creative spark was there becomes extinguished forever.

I’d like to share an amusing story about me. Freshman year in college,   I entered a beginning drawing class with great enthusiasm. After all, I was an art major. (It’s important to mention that this course was taught by my advisor because it made what happened all the more compelling.) We students had gone outside to draw for the majority of our 3 hour class. Near the end of the period,  we returned to mount all of our work on the wall for a critique. My advisor,  the professor, talked about everyone else’s work but mine. I was crestfallen. And too shy at that point to say anything about it.  So, the next time we went outside to draw, I decided to go to the cafeteria for lunch instead… Why bother?

Now comes the amusing part. I was uncomfortable with the drawing materials at first. It took awhile for me to regain my motivation, my passion and to develop facility with line. I then took advanced drawing,  followed by an independent study in drawing which I adored. After graduation,  while in graduate school, that same professor invited me back to his class as a guest speaker. How about that?   Finally he noticed me!

Take your natural talent and feed it.  Wonderful things can happen.