“You Should Be A Welder.”

“That’s not going anywhere.”

1985: After graduating High School, I told my Grandma Nellie my plan to attend Art School.

As gently as possible she responded: “Honey I think you draw really purdy (she said purdy as opposed to pretty) but baby nobody is gonna pay you to draw pretty pictures.” 

Pretty Picture

Rather than attend Art School Grandma told me; “You should learn to be a welder. Your cousin (who I’d never heard of) is making good money welding!” She went on to say; “Welding is something people always need - you’ll always have work.”

She really did mean well. She wasn’t trying to be discouraging. It’s just that from her experience, someone making a living making art was as outlandish as a man walking on the moon - which she believed was fake.

“Houston we have a problem.”

To Grandma “making a living” meant hard labor - doing something necessary - but probably something no one else wanted to do either. “If it was fun they wouldn’t call it work” goes the saying.

As you might have guessed by now, I ignored her advice to become a welder (an honorable and necessary profession). In the end, this probably saved the world from a lot of collapsing structures and leaky pipes. 

“Must have been a bad welding job.”

But on those days when I don't feel particularly adept at art - or life in general, I wonder if I should have heeded Grandma’s advice.

But that’s right about the time someone pops up and shows some appreciation for one of my “pretty pictures” - with a positive word, or a purchase - propelling me forward to keep going - keep painting.

“That’s my Mantra; “Keep Painting.”

— Me.

Thanks to my peeps for all of the affirmations (you know who you are).

Mantra.

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P.S. Forwarding this email to anyone you think might appreciate it - or sharing a link to my website, or on your social media qualifies as an affirmation. Please and thank you.

Cheers!