Do You Pre-date Dirt?

Just about "older than dirt" - I'm sure there are at least a few on here that may be older than I - they can claim the dirt. I've been interested in 'art' drawing, etc. since the early fifties - before high school. we had 'art classes' - or -alternatively there was music class - but since I BROKE my plastic tooter over my best friends head - I had to go to art class. I could already draw better than many - although there was one girl in our class that could 'really' draw - people - cowboy and indians - but then you have to remember the era.

I didn't really get involved with art - had to make money first - until about 1980 - although I had already sold a few pieces, drawings and a couple of paintings by then. Somewhere in Europe there is a painting I did in 1971. From 1980 to about 1996 - I was really into painting, watercolor, and finally gave it up when there was literally no local market for art - the co-op gallery we started lasted exactly 3 years before it folded - it just couldn't sustain the building rent. I did well enough until I went back to school and got my BFA - from that point on - it was down hill.

I feel like a young pup in comparison.. 32 yr's in the trade.. but only the last 2 of them carving stone. oh my, how time flies..

Ronald, I had an interest in photography when I was 16 or 17and purchased the cheapest slr I could afford at time it was an $80. Kalimar Russian camera, set up a small dark room in the bathroom, then I signed up for a community college photography course but the pre-requisites classes in perspective drawing were to much for me, I wanted to study what I wanted so I dropped out. Life happened, marriages,kids, divorces, all happened and it was not until things settles down after meeting a most amazing woman that I discovered I had a talent for metal art. I always felt creative and pursued many interest and used them as an out let for the creative energy, but never making tangible art. It was by accident I discovered copper sculpting later in life.

Glad you did Mario, they are awesome!

I am old enough to remember....

...when MTV showed music videos
...when cameras used film
...when we used a darkroom instead of Lightroom
...floppy disks and cassette tapes
...when we cared who shot a guy named J.R.
...phones had cords
...we had to wait years for movies to come on TV if we missed them at the theater

Well maybe not older than dirt, but think the local wildlife were dinosaurs when I was starting out. LOL

I apparently was born with a desire to draw and my family thought nothing of it. But as soon as hit school teachers and others encouraged my folks to pursue it. By age 6 I was an apprentice artists for masters. Had put in my 10,000 hours of mastery by early teens.

Artist is one of my 5 perspectives (others are scientist, engineer, business, and philosophy) and therefore inseparable from all my endeavors.

Since I just turned 60 than a good half-century of experience.
-- mary ellen anderson

Old enough to remember Big Red in a 16 oz long neck and a 10 oz brick embossed bottle. Pencils in only 2B. Pushbutton Dodge Dart. A product called Canvassette.

Started using a camera (and doing my own processing) over a half century ago.


~ Bill
~ US Pictures .com

I began art lessons before age 10...won my first contest at 12. was doing professional illustrations for a local writer's weeklly newspaper column in 1964...started my formal training at university in 1966. Got my first full time paying job as an artist in 1968. Had my master's degree in 1971.

I started drawing Horses at the age of 6 or 7. Shortly after, I was given a set of pastels as a gift. I was thrilled with color at that point! Sadly, my Mother thought "Art" was a waste of time and forbade me to continue.
Fast forward to my late 50's. My husband passed tragically, and I returned to my love of drawing and pastels, as a form of healing. That was in 2007. I've never had a class or instruction, but have been blessed to have found other artists willing to give me tips and helpful critiques.
While living, my Husband had noticed me doodling one day and tried to get me to pursue my talent....but I still heard my mother's voice in the back of my head...so I didn't until after his death.
Since then, I have, through trial and error, studying of techniques and alot of hard work, been able to paint reasonable likenesses of my subjects, and have been blessed with commissions.
Two years ago, my work was juried into the IL State Museum and Gallery, and I am currently represented at the Southern IL Artisans Center.
And my Dear late husband? He is surely smiling now.
I'm still learning, and will until I die. I often wonder where I would be in my skill level, if I had been encouraged, as a child, to pursue what I consider my God given talent.

I began my interest in art in 1969 with a class on collage. I remember my friend and I had mothers that were interested in art. We both began our first ballet classes as well that year.

In 1958 I was 5 years old and could not wait for the Sunday paper to come so I could "draw" the cartoons. I come from a very small town in rural Iowa and lived on a remote farm. While growing up I was known as the artist. When someone in town needed a sign painted I was pressed into service. I was considered unusual in an environment where most wanted to farm. In most other areas I was normal, did farm work, played sports, raised hell, studied when I absolutely had to. When I was 12 I began painting on my own. Truly bad paintings but my own. I have never really done anything else. Been a graphic designer / art director, painter, photog, illustrator, and sometimes writer. I always tell people I had to be an artist as I was too lazy to work.

The first time I heard this phrase was as a young adult I was guiding a pheasant hunt in Iowa. One of the hunters was a retired pro baseball player who looked young. I asked how old are you? He replied 2 days older than dirt. Been laughing at that for about 30 years now.

These stories are great! Barb are you familiar with the artist Elizabeth Layton? Started working late in life was an awesome artist! The big thing with art in my opinion is having experiences to communicate with others, people who start late in life often are packed full of these and do very well. Marlene, you have been kicking serious butt for awhile now! Lisa, dumb question but do you still do collage. I will go check out you work as soon as I post this!

I was in the last graphic design class to graduate from the University of Florida school of Fine Arts before they introduced Macs in 1986. I learned everything about print production the manual way.

Thank you for asking Ronald about collaging. The last collage I did was a few years back creating a painting of garbage including the frame that was made from an old pig pen. I know it sounds hideous, but I sold it at an apartment dumpster for fifty dollars and the customer demanded to pay me. She thought it was beautiful. I chuckle at the piece and hope to heck my name isn't on it anywhere. I still want to collage even at this very moment in time.

In preschool I knew both the colors AND the number of crayons in my box.
Just a few years later, they landed an astronaut on the moon. Blew that dream all to hell!

Drew how did the moon landing affect your crayons?

Ronald, all those colorful rocket shipz designed for nothing:(

Ahhhh, I'm just slow!

@Ronald,
Thanks, hopefully I can be awesome too! I plan on living to be a young 103(don't ask me why, lol), so plenty of time left to paint! :)