Start where you are...

A page from my book-- a work in progress

     I'm sitting here on the last day of the month of September, kind of discouraged, a little anxious, but still happy.  I started out this month at an art workshop.  Just me and Colleen Howe Bleinburger.  It was a mentoring workshop.  She invited me to stay at her home/workshop in Smithfield, Utah.  It was a beautiful setting right by Summit Creek. I had a great time learning from Colleen, she is a marvelous teacher.  We walked every morning in a nearby, shady with pine trees, park. I spent the next 6 hours of each day learning and painting in pastels.   We worked on still lifes and landscapes.  The week passed quickly, but she has promised to let me return every year and paint with her. Of course I was hoping for that 'EASY' button that will magically turn me into an accomplished artist.  And, off course, I realized once again, it takes time and it takes work--DAILY work.
I have been working almost daily on a children's book.  I guess I'm discouraged that I haven't tried a landscape since I've been home from the workshop.  Wishing for more energy, time, etc. seems fruitless.  I've got to be happy that I am working on one project, then I'll move onto the next.   I'm just IMPATIENT with myself and I want to learn and grow quickly in my art abilities but it will just take TIME.  
     Elder Ian S. Arden said recently at a BYU-Hawaii devotional, "It is Prayer--coupled with hard work- that greatly increases one's rate of learning and it is through having a vision that individuals are able to achieve in life."
     I am constantly amazed that when I am prayerful, people are placed in my path to help me on my journey. Good, talented people who want to share with others: Dilleen Marsh, Colleen Bleinburger, Julie Rogers, Del Parson, and one other that I haven't mentioned before--Will Terry.  I stumbled upon Will quite by accident.  I was itching to find someone who could help me with illustrating.  After praying about it, I turned to 'You Tube' and wrote in 'Children's book illustrating'.  Up popped a video tutorial made by Will Terry.  Will is part of a fantastic resource of art videos found on  http://folioacademy.com/ .  Will is a successful children's book illustrator that lives in Utah and teaches part-time at UVU.  He writes an interesting blog at willterry.blogspot.com, and is truly dedicated to helping other artists. I hope to meet Will someday and thank him in person.  I also wish I could take his classes at UVU. (Dream on...)
     I came across a quote by Arthur Ashe that gave me encouragement this week-- "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."