There is a correspondence program started bacy in 1948 by reknowned illustrators Albert Dorne and Norman Rockwell. At some point they were taken over by Cortina Learning. They used to and may still run ads in magazines. One day when I was 16 or 17 and I saw the add, sent for the test to assess my artistic eye and received it. I sent it back and one day, without warning, Norman Rockwell showed up at my door looking just like this image but with tweed jacket and a proper men's hat. I was home from school and my mom was home. He asked me if I was Joan Mansson and he introduced himself as being from the Famous Artist School. I invited him in and he asked to see my work. I only drew and most of my images were faces and bodies from lmagazines and my imagination. He spoke with my mother and explained the program but my mother said I could study when I finished high school but not while I was still in school. He tried to convince her and I remember him saying that a talent like mine shouldn't be wasted. He thought I have talent. That really should have been enough to put me on the right path but I was still nagged by the impression that art wouldn't offer me a living. I didn't get that from my family, but from the evil magi of society at large pressing on about the important of science and technology and the myth of the starving artist.
Norman Rockwell
Just in case you've never heard of Norman Rockwell, an icon in illustration for his political insights as well as his talent, just google him; go to the library and check out a book filled with his Saturday Evening Post cover illustrations. Most of the folks in the paintings were his neighbors..
When I finally went back to study art twenty years later, I was, I have said before, still plagued by these memes. I prefer evil magi. In college I studing painting and drawing and scuplting and weaving and illustration and cartooning and printmaking and anything else that I could. In the end, I went to library school because I needed a back up plan. It was a good plan for someone afraid to plunge fully into a career based on my talent.
I often wonder what would have happened if I had taken the Famous Artist course after high school instead of College and medical trade school and working as a secretary/bookkeeper/gal Friday. But now, I just realize that it was another affirmation that my heart's desire is legitimate and part of my DNA. I'm 74 years old and I'm still struggling but not as much as before. In this new age, we have YouTube where I can share my work; teach; share. And I have a blog where I can share, big time! People watch my videos; ask questions, make requests and follow me. That is so awesome; so satisfying. The other thing that amazes me is how much more proficient I am than so many of my associates who are 20 and 30 years my junior with social media; computers; technology in general. Still lots to learn since they keep coming up with more and more and sometimes I think I'll never catch up but then no one can these days. oh sure, I'd really enjoy seeing my videos go viral. But I have a few with views in the thousands and it amazes me. I still can't figure out what sets them apart but I'm grateful.
So what was the point of this post. Don't give up on your passion. it doesn't matter if you're work isn't hanging in a museum. It matters that you're creating.
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