The Back Room Artist - Who are we?

Hello!
     Welcome to my blog and thanks for stopping by.  This is my first blog that I have ever done but after doing some thinking lately of the friends I have met over the last several years, many of whom are talented artist, (even those that don't think they are artist but they are ;) I decided I needed to get some information out there as well as some much needed incentive and positive thoughts.  
     First off, a little about me.  I am self taught; I do both photography and fine artwork as well as commission pieces.   In high school I LOVED art class.  I hated pretty much every other class as well as the concept of public school, but I loved art.  (Yes, I am not a great fan of the public school system and not that there aren't some great teachers out there...but there are too many crappy ones who don't give a squat about trying to help the kids learn...but that is a topic for another day ;)    Art class was a way for me to get out of my head and just enjoy the day.  Even when I wasn't great at something, I still felt I was learning and that I could become great and that was an awesome feeling.  I loved most my art teachers, I enjoyed learning all the different types of artwork we did through the years and I truly believed it would be part of my life forever.  Then, in the middle of my junior year I met with my guidance counselor who informed me that a career in art wouldn't be suitable for me because I have many animals as well as horses that I show and art would never be able to support those luxuries.  I was crushed...but I listened to what he had to say and then spent the next 20 years working odd jobs, getting an associates degree in IT that is worthless to me because I hated it and had no desire to go any further.  Since high-school I had pretty much given up doing any kind of artwork...I figured if it wouldn't get me anywhere then I wasn't probably good enough to worry about doing it anyway and life just got in the way later one and soon art of any kind was just pushed to the back of my mind and forgotten.
     Fast forward to my mid 30's and after looking on the internet I began seeing artwork from people that I felt was no better than the art I did in high-school.  Many times I was amazed at pieces that had sold that I just couldn't see why anyone would buy it.  But that's the thing I finally realized...art in all its different forms liked by me or not, was still art and was still important, carefully made, and valuable.  That particular art piece just had to find the person who saw beauty, love, passion, and desire in it...and then that person would want it and pay to have it.
    So, with this new knowledge I started drawing again, watching tutorials, attending workshops here and there...anything I could to get my mojo back.  I have donated many artwork pieces to different organizations for raffling off or to people who have lost a loved fur-family member.   I have also donated custom artwork to animal rescue auctions to help them bring in money to help their cause.  There was an important reason I began doing this...I looked at all this as more ways to practice, to get my name out there, and to keep on doing artwork to help make up for all the time I had lost...to not get complacent and definitely to not give up.  I was given much praise, even sold pieces for a good profit here and there but I still always found myself always criticizing my own work to the point that I hated sending commission pieces out or hanging finished pieces on my business walls...but when I did I always received great reviews which made me wonder why I was so hard on myself.  
     Then, after some deep thought and some time really studying my own work I realized something.  I was looking at my artwork as someone who should have been doing this 20 years...not someone who has been doing it for only a few years.  I would see my work and thing it wasn't what is should be because I was missing 20 years of experience, 20 years of failures, heartaches, and wild accomplishments.  I had to start making sure I looked at each piece as a learning experience and as a way to show that each piece was my own.  Every piece of artwork I do, and every photograph I take is something I learn on and by taking my time and loving what I do it still turns out to be exceptional.  Rarely it might not come out, but most the time it will and it does. 
     Today, I do all kinds of artwork and photography (except weddings).  I have it for sale, I donate items, I make items just for me or family and I love all of it.  I have that drive again to learn all I can and to be happy with my items when I'm finished.  Nothing is off limits whether its drawing, painting, photographing, etc.  I love it all...some things I love more than others but I really do love it all.  That is what I want to provide for all the people I meet that try something new.  Maybe they don't know they are an artist...maybe they never thought they had the ability or talent...but they do.  Their passion and love for something they had once forgotten or never knew they had is awesome to see and I will do everything I can to help them feel like they are as good as anyone else in what they do.   I don't want them forgetting for years only to come back to it and wonder what had happened...I want them...I want you to love every minute of it!