Art Awards
At an early age I began to draw. Even before I was in kindergarten. My family recognized that I had talent so I always received art supplies for my birthday and at Christmas from my parents and grandparents. I was also kept well supplied throughout the year. As we traveled across the nation my parents took me to see many art museums in the bigger cities. I can remember looking at the paintings and it was like looking at them with x-ray eyes or something. I could see how they did it. I used to tell my parents, “I can do that”. When we moved to South Carolina, I was in the fifth grade. My teacher also saw my talent. One day she thought she caught me not paying attention. I was drawing my friend, Hamp Green. The students near my desk were all watching me draw and that’s what made her come over to me. When she saw what I was doing she was not angry with me. She was surprised and pleased. I remember she asked me, "can you do that and still pay attention to the lesson?” I said, “yes”. So she asked me if I could paint. I told her I had never tried it, but I believe I can. So she assigned me to paint historic scenes in tempera paint on the classrooms’ frosted glass windows, but only on the condition that I could still pay attention to the lessons and get good grades. My classmates were all more or less amazed and the teacher found herself telling them to pay attention to the lesson, not me. Still, she allowed me to continue to paint, for which I am so thankful. So my experience as a painter goes back about 43 years, as I will be 55 in November 2008. During my high school years, I had completed every art class that 3 different high schools had to offer, with straight "A's" of course. I also studied art history and the many different styles and artists. I have continued to paint and develop my skill and technique over the years. My experience in our family’s journeys has had a great influence on the things I choose to paint. I’ve seen so many wonderful things, like most of the National Parks and recreation areas. When I see something and it “strikes me”, I paint it. Above all things, I am truly grateful to God for blessing me with this wonderful talent.