My Journey to Art

I was eight when we moved from West Hollywood, to Quartz Hill, California, in 1948. Two ladies in the town were both artists that gave me instruction; Amy Heydorn and Jane Pinheiro. Jane showed me how to etch in copper, and later instructed me in watercolor painting.

Mrs. Heydorn taught at the local high school in Lancaster, at Antelope Valley Joint Union High School, eight miles east of Quartz Hill.

I don't recall anyone telling me that you had to study, practice and study more before you started mastering your craft. I guess I just thought you either could or couldn't. I really didn't grab on heartily to my creative bent from either Amy or Jane, nor any other teachers as far as that mattered. It was one day while sitting next to my father, he sketched a tiger head... apparently I was impressed.

My father was an artist as well. As a child I saw many of his art works hanging in relatives homes. He didn't pursue it for what ever reason. I have one of his very early paintings he did while taking an art class in Hollywood. He told me the subject was walking outside the studio and he asked him to pose. I don't remember asking him why he hid the mans face, but probably he was new to his art and didn't feel confident. Some of his later work showed he had mastered faces.

I had teachers in grammar school teach a few art classes as part of their curriculum, but once again I wasn't keen on pursuing the art. Once I started high school, I took an art class every year. I shared a class with an acquaintance... Frank Zappa. We weren't friends, but we spoke.

During my college days my minor was always art, but my major changed as often as the weather. I took photography, ceramics, art history as well as a few painting classes. It wasn't until recently, when I had a visit from my sister Valerie, that I took up my art again with a vengeance... so to speak. I had painted a self-portrait, using a style I found perfect for my level of painting. She said she wanted it. She also said I should paint dead celebrities. SO, off I went.

When I first started painting, and due to my photography, I wanted to paint in the realism genre... I wasn't talented enough for that style, so, as I said, I perfected my own style. I'm working more towards realism, but unless more classes are taken I guess I'll stick with my style of painting. I started with painting those celebs in acrylics, I then started doing some research when ai became the new art genre. Ergo Digital art became my new style of art and realism.

The tools and apps I use for my new art style: