The Artist Within

It is after ten o'clock p.m. and, and as the late news began, my husband announced he was going to bed. "I still have to clean something out of the hall closet and blog about it," I said. He went to bed anyway. I opened the closet and grabbed the first thing I could see. A grouping of seven paper-back art books were the victims today. Seven books from another era that I purchased at a garage sale years ago because they "spoke to me." They spoke to me because the cover art was from a kinder, gentler time; a time when art was appreciated for art, not for commercial value. The instruction books each have beautiful covers and they are all, except one, by Walter Foster, whoever he is.

• How to Do Water Colors by Walter Foster (Price $2.00) Materials to Use, and how to Paint with Water Colors
• How to Draw the Head by Walter Foster (Price U.S.A. $2.00)
• How to Draw Horses by Walter Foster (Price U.S.A. $2.00) ...A Simple Way To Draw Horses
• How to Draw by Walter Foster (Price U.S.A. $2.00) Butterflies, Flowers, Trees, Shrubs, Boats, Animals, Birds, Landscapes, Still-Life, Heads, Hands, Lettering
• How to Draw Dogs by Walter Foster (Price U.S.A. $2.00)
• The Cats In Action by Walter J. Wilwerding (Price $2.00 U.S.A.) is this really a different person or is Walter J. Wilwerding a pseudonym for Walter Foster? Hmmm - the plot thickens???
• Keys to Sketching - Practical suggestions for improving your sketching.

Okay, what is an aspiring artist/pack rat to do? Do I toss these books and my dream of being an artist? Or do I keep the books and the dream of being an artist? I am going for option #2. I am not ready to relinquish my dream of being an artist. I am not going to mention the fact that I cannot draw, sketch, paint, sculpt, paint or even think about being creative in any artistic fashion. Yet, I will hold on to the dream and I will hold on to the books that promise I will be able to achieve that dream - someday!