My "Me, My and I"
Having an artist for a Mother, who stuck a pencil in my hand before the age of three about sums my formal
art education. Some people are fortunate enough to attend an art school. Then there are the rest of us; those without the
diploma, who have to work twice as hard proving we can do the job, too.
Seems my entire life has been like that __ proving I could do the work without the standard education.
Did the same thing to break into the news world in my younger years, starting as a correspondent and working up to a full-fledged
staff writer, editor and columnist. My husband, John, accuses me of taking pleasure doing things the hard way __ he also affectionately
insists I'm a "pain-in-the-butt perfectionist." No comment here!
I played with acrylics and oils for several years, then took a "one-day class" to learn how to use a
woodburning tool. I enjoyed woodburning for several years, even teaching the craft, until recently when I returned to painting..
There are many artist out there doing much better work than I do. What I do have, however,
that I think has earned my many awards and sales is a very good imagination. That same Mother who originally put the above-mentioned
pencil in my hand, and constantly preached, "Keep it original, Darlene, because a real artist always does his or her
own work," is greatly responsible for my accomplishments. Thanks, Mom!
