As I begin, I closed my eyes for a while to remind myself of that magical day that my art teacher placed a book in my hands about Georgia O'Keeffe. Memories of hip-hugging bell bottoms, Carly Simon's song "Your So Vain", and tying back my long blond hair to keep it out of my paint palette fill my mind.
In my thoughts, I am sad, with the realization of my dream to be an artist for the rest of my life will be one of many sacrifices and financial stress. This is all I ever wanted to be. I have been instructed by my guidance counselor to find something else to do, than to be an artist so I can live better. I am 16, a sophomore at Morton West High School in Berwyn IL, and and art student with an amazing art teacher named Mr. Mounce.
He must have seen the sadness on my face that day in class and pulled me aside to ask what was wrong. I was almost in tears just telling him and added the fact that all the living artist are men and on top of it all are supporting themselves by art. He replied that this was not so...and I asked him to please teach me about the women, so I can have something to hold on to.
He walked to his desk and brought me the book that would change my life...It was a book about Georgia O'Keeffe. I was told to take it home and study it...read every word...memorize every brushstroke...every composition...and believe in myself to be an artist like her.
There are moments in life that take your breath away...Now as I am older, I know this was one of them for me. I just needed to know, that there was one woman out there that could do it...
That I can have the creative life I wanted and I was going to be and ARTIST!
Lesson 1 from O'Keeffe...Believe in yourself to be an Artist.
