I went on to study under an artist
I hated attending catholic school. The other children made fun of me and even at a young age i was acutely aware of the hypocracy both in their attempts to hurt me daily and in the failure of the teachers to step in. I refused to go to a catholic high school, instead taking my chances enrolling in a public scool for the first time. There i found friends for the first time and my previous imersion in a concentrated class size put me ahead in reading comprehension and writing skills. I finally had instruction in painting and was accepted into an advanced arts program in the summers. My high school counceler was less than enthused about my class choices and forced me to accept classes well outside my interests or ability. She was convinced that taking these classes would help me go to a university, but actually the resulting failing grades brought my sophmore and junior gpa down so much i wouldn’t have been accepted even if i had been able to pay. I went on to study under an artist i much admired at the community college for many years. I learned painting techniques and figure drawing and applied this to my own work. I wanted to make and sell prints of my work, but my husband got in my way and prevented my working for several years. We separated about a year ago after he made some very bad financial decisions and lost his job. Now i’m back on my original path and about to start producing a serial web comic which i will also write, and i’m active in the local arts community. My son has shown interest in drawing and painting as well and i’ve tried to encourage him without pushing harder than necessary. I believe the american school system needs a massive overhaul to put less stress on students and takes more account of their natural abilities.
