I’m not sure when or why I came to the conclusion that I simply had no artistic skill or ability, but I am pleased to announce I was wrong.

I can vividly recall the dread I felt when I looked down at the art class requirement for my high school curriculum. “I’m going to fail this class,” I thought. Certain I would need time to make up for the poor grade, I promptly signed up for a Drawing & Painting course my freshman year. 

I sat at a table surrounded by seniors who all seemed to have an innate talent for the arts. Intimidating hardly describes my initial experience in this art class. Despite my lowly freshman status, my senior counterparts were extraordinarily kind and helped nurture my art skills throughout the school year.

I fumbled through the beginning of each art project but often managed a strong finish. Noting my tenacity, my art peers teased that I would end up with my portrait on the wall reserved for honoring the school’s top achievers. I laughed them off, shaking my head. Wrong again.

My appetite for studying the arts only grew from this point on and though my career path led me astray from the art world, I’ve finally made my way back home.