I love it.
My number one reason why I paint is really that simple. I love it.
I’ve painted since I was a little girl. I would bring my crayons and coloring book or sketch pad to every outing my parents took me to - dinners out, Big Band Concerts, road trips, playing outdoors - anywhere and everywhere I went, I brought my coloring alongside me.
At school, I was chosen at every art show, hallway display, and art competition to have my art on display. I thrived an art class. I wasn’t good in every academic course, but when our art teacher came into our classroom, I finally felt like I could thrive. Every art teacher that I had encouraged me & uplifted me. One particular teacher submitted my art to a traveling art show. That particular piece traveled the world from the 2nd grade and returned back to me in high school. One year, I submitted a colored poster to a "save the water/planet" art competition. This poster won an award and I spent one school day with my Dad traveling to Portland, Maine to receive the award in person. Later on in high school, I doubled up in art classes, took both AP Art and AP Photography, sacrificed my lunch hour to spend time in the classrooms I thrived in. One of my AP art carvings/prints won an art scholarship I was able to apply to my Fine Art Degree at Kansas State University. That same year, my senior year of high school, one of the teachers in the school hired me to paint my very first commission - a 3'x4' painting of florals to match his wife's new dining room/living room design (see the throwback picture in this post!). He purchased my supplies, and gave me several months to complete the painting as he knew school was a priority. I was encouraged by each of these awards and special offers, but each one came as a surprise to me. My head was so focused on creating different paintings, constantly putting my pen or pencil or crayon or marker, or really anything I had available, to the paper. I loved it. I loved putting my hands to work. I loved color. I loved communicating while I worked, but also sitting in silence drawing. I never felt alone or bored when I was drawing or painting. I felt God's presence encompass me when I was doing what I loved. I feel created to create and that's where the love of painting comes from. I paint because I love it.