Gift of Talent!
“Were you born with the gift of talent?”
That’s the question that I’m most asked.
Every person who sees a piece of my art says “ I can’t draw a stick figure, you must have been born with the gift of talent.”
So today I’m going to talk about my lack of gift of talent at birth and beyond.
My gift and passion since I was four years old.has been for color, I was a happy little artist with coloring books, crayons and a knife to scrape the wax. Without the coloring book I was unskilled and unable to do anything artistic.
Continuing on to grammer school, I literally showed no talent. My gift was my academic ability. So after 4th grade I worked in the principal’s office doing typing, during art and music classes. Yes I was one of the few kids who could type in 4th grade. I became a little secretary.
The Reason for no Art classes… I could not draw. Remember I wasn’t born with the gift of talent.
My gifted Dad, who could draw, drew all of my report covers. Actually he did that for me through high school ( where I volunteered in the department for the blind instead of taking art and music )
Onward to my mid 20’s. I discovered paint by number. I was in heaven, painting every clown, horse, vase of flowers, etc. Craft Master Paint by Number was my opening to a career in art.
I graduated to ordering large sized paint by number kits. I bought an easel and at night my kitchen table became my studio. With a palette on the table next to my easet, I mixed color # 10 with color # 12 and created transition colors for my masterpiece.I was now in my 3rd year of painting by number. That was my obsession. One evening I was painting a large famous artist reproduction when an artist friend came over to visit in my studio ?
She asked with amazement in her voice “What are you doing? Why don’t you just buy a canvas and paint?” My admission. I wasn’t born with the gift of talent and I could not draw. She changed my life. She told me that drawing is a skill and can be learned, just like sewing is a skill. I could sew. She eventually took me to her art school where I registered and spent 3 years learning the truth.
Oh yes I can now draw.
It’s a skill that can be learned. But truth is I was not born with talent, I was born with a love of color. And most of all perserverance.
In the coming weekly chapters you’ll travel thru my art career and life adventures.I’ve often been told that with my interesting life experiences, I should write a book. Well here it is. Stay tuned and thanks so much for reading along.
Would you be kind enough to have friends and family who’d be interested in this series “Meet The Artist” sign up to become a friend of the artist. Thank you. https://jackiejacobson.com/meet-the-artist-
INTERESTING ARTICLES ABOUT TALENT
https://www.thoughtco.com/van-gogh-sold-only-one-painting-4050008
10 Master Drawers (and What They Teach Us)
