I asked myself, “When can you call yourself an artist?”. The answer came when I realized that I was creating unique, exceptional works of art. Friends and family began asking me to do paintings for them, and it was then that I felt that I deserved the title—artist. I am a former teacher who has chosen to leave my profession to pursue a career in art. Although I love to teach, painting makes me feel alive - giving me a feeling of freedom and a sense of being in control. I find that it allows me to escape to a place that is both invigorating and...more