What I Want To Do When I Grow Up

When I was younger and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I often answered, "An artist."  That response was often met with wane smiles and dubious eyes as I showed my drawings.  Because really, I know they were thinking, "Honey, it's a nice picture but not GREAT and besides, NO ONE makes a living as an artist."

Well excuse me while I blow some big wet raspberries in their general direction.  Some people do make a living as artists and I happen to be related to one.  So HA!   Aunt Lori entered my world sometime between my 10th and 11th birthdays.  I'm not sure how they met or where they met but I do know that Lori Arthur married my very cool bachelor uncle Bill in Las Vegas.  I know this because somewhere in a box I have some Kodak pictures of the two of them in the Vegas chapel.  I knew Lori was going to be cool because she wore a blue mini-dress, but more important, she liked to paint.  And, ironically, I think that is when I decided I wanted to be an artist.

And I took art classes, studied different mediums and ultimately discovered that my need for immediate gratification and my compunctity(no, it's not a real word but it just felt write when I typed it) to wholly consume every project to the exclusion of everything else rendered me hurried, half assed and just not very good.  Thankfully, my creative energies redirected themselves into words which makes a lot of sense for me since words are quickly consumed by the brain and then both the writer and the reader move on and there are no discarded watercolors, acryllics or pencil drawings left in the wake. 

Anything I have created is elementary compared to my Aunt Lori's work.  Her talent and skill have become more pronounced and precise in the years since I have known her (I know that sounds like it is because of me and as much as I would like to take credit it really only has to do with how long I have known her.)  My family has been both proud recipients as well as purchasers of many of her pieces.  I have long joked that my house could actually be considered Quarton Gallery East since she is a lifelong California girl who rarely comes back across the country.  But it's true.  Currently I have 6  Quarton pieces hanging in my little house with several others stored in the basement because even if they don't fit in this house, I intend to bring them out west.  She is that good.  So accomplished is she that I implore you to visit her website - especially if you are in the market for artwork. www.loriquarton.com

I also have a friend who recently has been doing some incredible "upcycling" of furniture and decor with her artistic talents.  When I knew her in my youth, I had no idea that she any interest in art at all.  If I had, I am sure we would have been the best of friends and she might have shirked that uber popular crowd she hung out with in favor of sitting in the art room with me.  But, as luck would have it, when we reconnected last year (and a good 35 years after our social groups were formed) we really connected.  She has this beautiful, genuine outlook and I believe that is the key to her artistic success.  I ask you to visit her sitewww.mollysusanstrong.blogspot.com

As for me?  Yeah, I still have the art bug but I mostly use it as an inspiration for writing.  You should see what inspired this article.  On second thought, maybe not.  However, if you are still looking for a website to visit, visit mine!  www.judicoltman.com