Art has been a part of me since I was a small child.  I liked to draw.  I liked color.  Fat Crayola 8 then 16.  I wished for the Crayola 64 .  Then I wished for 128 because some of the other kids had more than me.

But then there was baseball and basketball then high school.  I still liked to draw and still like color.  I was pretty good in high school art.  I wasn’t good in high school math.  I flunked out of math and had to take two session of art class to make up my credit requirements.  I had time to draw and paint with a lot of colors.  I had a very caring art teacher too.

I wasn’t good enough for art school following high school.  First, I chose the Navy.  I was assigned to engineering on an aircraft carrier.  Still drawing, still coloring. But finally chose engineering school in college.

There was a lot of college.  First an associate of science degree in mechanical engineering.  Then a bachelor’s degree.  Then a master’s degree in economics. Still drawing and coloring.  Then the art bug caught me mid-way through my engineering career and I found a watercolor teacher and I was on my way.  Lots more drawing and coloring.

With the help of my art teacher and lots of study especially in watercolor technique and design I became good enough to be granted signature membership in the Ohio Watercolor Society.  I was good enough to win prizes and recognition in the region where I lived and even good enough to be granted signature membership in the American Watercolor Society.

I kept painting and learning.  I retired from my engineering career in 2010 and became a fulltime watercolor artist.  Still painting still exhibiting.  My work appealed to many.  Many thought I might be able to teach art.  I was recruited by the Canton Museum of Art to teach in their School of Art at the Museum, Taking what I had acquired over the years and making it interesting to students was a challenge.  Luckily, I had kept the notes from my watercolor teacher, more than twelve years worth and used bits and pieces of it.

No matter what, beginning students to the advanced artist, teaching is a two way street.  Teacher and student are engaged in ART.

The trip from child with crayons to college student to teacher with paints and brushes has been a journey to look back upon with satisfaction.

This is how the Museum tells it. https://www.cmafollowyourart.com/winter-2022-article-3?fbclid=IwAR3-pbWndC3x7tslvvU_CEtq8xftxDFVKYh49XXIaQwp2LtXjEZQBwXFcUk