A Year Ago Today

I’m so grateful for everyone who’s joined me here on my art journey. Today is a very special day for me. It marks the one-year “anniversary” of the day I decided I would learn to draw.

I had just received my brand new set of Prismacolor Premier colored pencils — a complete set of 150. My latest hobby, you see, was coloring books. They were just becoming popular, and I’d bought a couple of them, one for me and another for one of our daughters. I’d quickly realized, of course, that regular Crayola crayons were not going to work for coloring the intricate designs, and after a few hit-and-miss attempts at using other materials, I finally discovered the Prismacolor Premiers. I tried one, loved it, and immediately ordered the full set.

When it arrived and I opened it, I nearly swooned from the sight of so many beautiful colors, so neatly arranged. At the same time, I was, to tell the truth, a bit aghast at what I’d done.

These were artist quality pencils…the sort of pencils real artists use. What in the world was I doing with a set of Prismacolor Premiers? And not just any set, a complete set?

I could afford the pencils, so my reaction had nothing to do with the cost. Instead — and this is difficult to explain — it was a sense that I didn’t have the right to own these pencils. These pencils were made for finer things than six-dollar coloring books! The only way to justify owning this box of pencils would be by learning to draw.

So, that’s where it began.

My first sketchbook page was filled with little drawing exercises.

I bought Kate Berry’s book of Drawing Lessons, then picked up a small sketchbook and a basic set of drawing pencils. At the time, I had no idea of what an incredible journey I’d just begun. Never would I have imagined where that journey would take me in this first year.

It’s incredible — in the truest sense of the word — to think that I’ve now become part of an art community which has connected me to talented creators from around the world.

I’ve exchanged ATCs — artist trading cards — with other artists, and oh, what a joy to call myself an artist. When I think about it, as I’m doing right now, I go speechless, truly unable to imagine that such a thing is possible.

Me. An artist.

 

Yeah, I’m a sensitive, sentimental sort, and I’ll go ahead and admit that I’ve got tears in my eyes right now. I can’t begin to tell each of you reading this how much your support, encouragement, and kind words have meant to me. You’ve made me into an artist. You’ve helped me achieve a cherished childhood dream that a year ago seemed completely out of reach. How can I ever thank you?