What happened to inspire faith in the artist within me
Winter branches #727 8" x 8" x.75 oil on board beth vendryes williams
My first memory of drawing was when I was three years old.
My first memory of drawing was when I was three years old.
I didn’t know what an “artist “ was. I just liked the feeling of making marks on paper. I felt empowered knowing I could make colors and my parents loved what I made.
Invariably, through the formative years, I was asked to draw anytime it was needed. I loved the process of making, building, sewing, baking, painting things!As long as I was creating something and learning something new, I was happily involvedI loved to read, also, and remember visualizing and, stopping periodically to digest and translate words into my visual.
At Our Lady of Mercy Academy (high school)
I remember realizing that, although I could have gone into other fields, The process of creating made my heart sing! It was important to me to make something physical, marks that expressed ideas I had in my head.
I did have an intuitive art teacher and a holistic education from my teachers at Mercy. I suddenly realized, when I was 14, that history, art, French, science, literature, and music were all looking at the same world, but each through a different prism. I was astounded and found that my worldview expanded and I could understand concepts from different perspectives.
At the same, I was reading a book by Teilhard de Chardin, who was a Jesuit, philosopher, and paleontologist. He saw the world through the lenses of science and prayer. I understood that.
Two years later, I remember the moment
when I chose art as my focus because I wanted to be creating things every day for the rest of my life. It was the middle of the Senior year. I had asked my beloved art teacher why I had not gotten an art award. She said I was very talented, but I wasn't persistent enough. That answer caused me to decide to focus on what I found freedom and joy in creating something visible from just an idea in my head.
I chose to make a difference in the world by observing, then listening to an idea in my head, and guiding my hand to put it on paper.
I haven't stopped since!
What helped you decide to focus on your life work? I would love to hear your story in comments ,or keep in touch on instagram or facebook, below!