Meme

Meme: an element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by non-genetic means, especially imitation.

So it appears to be that Cathy Gatland has passed me the Kreativ Blogger Award and asked me to list 7 things about myself as a result of her passing along this honor.  You need to see the 7 things she wrote as she is totally creative!!!  Click here.  

So I chose seven things that have something to do with me being an artist today.  Although this is an evolving journey to be sure.

1. My earliest recognition in art that I remember was in 6th grade winning first prize in an art 

competition for a watercolor landscape. 

That prize winning painting hung in my parent's home for the rest of their lives.   Somehow over the years, it has gone missing.  But it really doesn't matter as the pride of that lives on in me.  And it is surely what gave me the confidence to pursue my passion in art.

2.  The second thing I thought of, which by the way had not occurred to me before I got this assignment, is that I taught journaling and invented spelling for probably 20 years in my kindergarten classes.  Of course that is where I got the love of journaling.  Duh.  Why didn't I think of that before!  

3.  The third thing that comes to mind is an also rather obvious thing to me now, that I retired from teaching for 32 years and that was the opportunity I had dreamed of somewhat unconsciously for a long time.  The year before I retired I went through a really good book called The Arthur Young Pre-Retirement Planning Book (John Wiley & Sons, NY).  I don't know if it's in print anymore.  But that turned out to life altering as one of the exercises was to list "what you've always wanted to do".  Watercolor was right on top. I surprised myself.  But that very fall I enrolled in classes.  

4.  I owe my passion to my first teachers: Paulette and Nancy.  Thank you Thank you.

5. Next I owe my love and passion for painting to my understanding and supportive husband, Greg who has built me a studio and packed up and carried more art supplies all around the country than either of us ever could have believed (with very little grumbling!)

6. I owe a lot to my students of watercolor. After 8 years of painting I started some beginner classes in watercolor at the Lake Geneva Art Association (in Lake Geneva, WI).  They taught me SO much.  And encouraged me. 

7.  All the people in my art leagues (I belong to 4 of them) and all my painter friends and all my painter blogger friends.  My kids and grandkids...my sister and my non-painter friends...they are all the greatest help in my artistic journey.  

Now Cathy says I am to pass this blogging honor along.  I would like to ask Barbara Sailor to be the next recipient.