Voice Illustrated
Growing up, I drew, doodled, painted and sewed just for the sake of creating. It was an everyday necessity and super fun. One of my favorite stories came out years later from my dad. He said that when I was around 4 years old, I started painting birds. Usually kids painted birds that looked like the letter “M” soaring through the sky. But I drew a “W” flying around. I thought it looked the same and couldn’t tell any difference. There were flocks of flying Ws all over my art. My dad definitely noticed my birds were “different” but said he didn’t have the heart to correct me. Today I am so grateful he let me be myself. He didn’t impose a right or wrong way; he just saw a happy kid drawing and painting. This is a valuable lesson that I honor to this day. With any creative endeavor, I find it is vital to be myself and not be influenced by the abundance of already-existent interpretations. I try to find acceptance and happiness within my own vision. Even on “off” days when I’m not thrilled with my work, I try to remember this is part of the journey. I always embrace the ability to see through my own eyes and create art from the heart.
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