TAKE NOTE - The Good Ol’ Days
I grew up in a very small town (population 1,000) and loved it. It truly was a great setting for a lovely childhood. We knew most of the residents and they were generally the type that would drop everything to help a neighbour in need. I don’t remember being afraid of anything and enjoyed the carefree life my parents provided.
One of the highlights of our humble village was its impressive Fall Fair. There were oodles of categories for kids to enter their baking, art, animals (4H) and more for the chance to win big - 1st prize was $5!
One year I entered a pencil drawing of the town creamery which was also quite famous in those parts. On a warm afternoon prior to the submission deadline, my mom dropped me off beside the road that looked down on the creamery plant and yard. She went to run some errands and left me to the great view of the building I planned to sketch and enter in the Fair. (Yet another nod to the safety of our wee village). Long story short, that year I won first prize for my rendering and at a young age I was encouraged to keep pursuing art.
Although my art making was latent for decades, I still quietly held to the notion that I could probably be artistic again if I tried. Looking back, I think it was a gift to hold this knowing in my heart. I’ve heard many times of students being discouraged by art teachers (in the “old” days) from pursuing art as a career. Although I wasn’t advised to head in this direction I was never told not to.
Many kids give up on art when they’re old enough to realize that their paintings don’t look like Renoirs. They don’t have the maturity to know that it will take practice and patience to improve. Thirty years later adults say they’re no good at art because of how they were at art when they stopped making it (age 10). For sure it’s not everyone’s thing but I’d love for art to be fun again for people. To make it for the sake of a pleasant afternoon with friends. I say take the pressure off that you have to produce a masterpiece! Revel in the chance to slow down, enjoy colour and play.