There are some of us that drew or painted when we were young but got caught up in business and responsibilities, children and such. We left our passion by putting it off until retirement; but the good news is that it is never too late to get started. Think of Grandma Moses. What a story that was. SHE PAINTED INTO HER FIRST COMPLETED CENTURY ON THIS BEAUTIFUL EARTH!

Personally, I was always interested in art and was drawing, sketching, studying artists and their works. However, for years I seldom painted. I came from an artist family and knew I would eventually jump back in with a passion, which I have since retiring from business.

One thing that inspired me to get serious about art was reading a letter that Vincent Van Gogh HAD written to his brother. He wrote: “…what I want to express, in both figure and landscape, isn’t anything sentimental or melancholy, but deep anguish. In short, I want to get to the point where people say of my work–‘that man feels deeply, that man feels keenly.’” I could not help but realize the true passion of a great artist when reading his words. It inspired me. He went on to say: “What I want and aim at is so confoundedly difficult, and yet I do not think I aim too high. I want to do drawings which touch some people…”  This letter was written in 1882 and still capture the passion of many artists today. This man never sold a piece of artwork in his lifetime; however, is there any doubt, with such passion within him, that he would go on to become one of the most respected artists in the world? Passion! That is all I wish to pass on to the wannabe artist.

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