My Story - How I Became an Artist

How God Made ART Blossom Out of a Dry Flower Pot:

I grew up in a family of four children. My twin brother and I were the oldest...then came two more brothers. Yes...I was sister-less. But that was okay. I held my own with my brothers and I had a pretty happy tom-boyish childhood.

While growing up I never considered myself artistic...never even imagined I could be. I enjoyed art class in school, but no one ever mentioned any particular talent. As a matter of fact, my entire self-esteem was not what you would call "great". All that changed when I met my husband. He was the most encouraging person I'd ever met. He would compliment everything I did and would tell me that he saw something in me, a potential. He saw that I had something inside that wanted to emerge. Neither he or I knew what that could be...and I wouldn't find out until my mid-30's that I was destined to be an artist!

It all started so subtly. I had been working in my church in Longwood, Florida. The pastor at that church, and his wife, are both very talented artists. He wanted the church bulletins to be original, not those ready made kind you buy at the bookstore. So I learned a computer drawing program and started designing them. I had such great feedback from people who were telling me that the bulletins were so special to them. Some even told me that they were framing them.

Then the craziest thing happened...my pastor started telling me that I was an artist...Huh?...I laughed it off, embarrassed that he would think I was an artist. But, he continued to call me one. With all that encouragement from my husband, people at the church and my pastor I even started believing it...(God bless you, Pastor Greg Freeman!!!)

A few years later my husband and I had been married for 12 years and had adopted a baby two years earlier. We felt called to work as house parents at a childrens home in Okeechobee, Florida, and ran one of the homes (with 6 girls). It was the most challenging time of our lives to date. But I have found that the most challenging and difficult times causes things inside of us, either good or bad, to bubble up to the surface. One day, while standing out by the water with one of the girls in our home,  I commented that I wish I could draw or paint what I was seeing because the scenery was really beautiful. She turned to me and simply said, "Why don't you?" I answered her the way most people answer something like that..."I can't even draw stick figures!" But her simple answer sparked something in my head. I started thinking about Pastor Greg calling me an artist so I went inside, sat down at the kitchen table and started drawing something. It wasn't great, but I was pleasantly surprised at how bad is wasn't. So, I drew something again the next day and the next...and the next. I found that I couldn't stop. I bought books, I went to classes, and drew everything I saw.

I started seeing the entire world differently. A tree wasn't just a tree...it was a beautiful object of shapes, highlights and shadows. At that point nothing was safe from my pencil! I drew everything and carried my sketchbook everywhere I went! In time I found that my strength was portraits. I loved drawing faces, people, dogs, cats, cows...you name it!  Now I draw portraits from photos by commission and I absolutely love it!

A few months ago I was laid off from my 8-5 job. It's been a strain on us financially, but I have also seen it as a blessing from the Lord. I am giving it a go and doing what I love most...drawing. I've started drawing commissions full time. (And marketing myself). I don't believe that God allows a talent to emerge from nothing for no reason. I've spent the last 8 or 9 years practicing, practicing, practicing and have gotten better every year. I have so much more in me and I'm excited about what's coming next. Even if I don't know what that is!
But one thing I have learned is that God can make a blossom grow from a dry pot...like me...He's got some more planting and growing to do in me...and I am ready! 

Thank you for reading this blog. I'm still very new at it, and I'm not really a writer...hmmm...maybe I shouldn't say that either...you never know!!!!

Melinda