I remember in high school really disliking art but if I reflect I think it may of been a feeling that I could not draw and when I attempted it frustrated me so much I gave up instead of persisting with it. Nevertheless it was in me and I started painting again in a 50c scrap book and the pictures were abstract in nature and very colourful. I still have that very first painting somewhere and I am inspired to find it now! I was about 19 at the time and there were a few blurry years after that time that I lost that creative time finding my way back for some years.
Around the time I was about 23 I found a little box of crayons and an instruction booklet on how to use face paints. This was like healing magic for me and opened the doors to studying small business and at the same time completing my art studies. These two things combined gave me the confidence and the tools to start a business Face Painting and this business end up having a ten strong team of casual staff catering to corporate markets.
My journey took me elsewhere and the stories are for another time just now. Here today I have arrived at the beginning of my journey as an artist I am finally stepping into those shoes and owning the beauty that comes from what I create and entering this competition was acknowledging my creative talent and saying I am good enough to do this. To all the creative people out there that laugh off their art as amateur, be brave and enjoy what your uniqueness brings to the world.