Thursday, November 10, 2005
Someone who saw something in me before any others
I have known so many special people that have helped me on my way through the few years of my life, but there is always someone that acts as that first spark. That igniter of what my life has been about and will continue to be about for the rest of my life was my grandmother Virginia Lee Ehmpke. She had first seen that when I was a child that I had some small artistic talent, and began to nurture it by teaching me many things.
I remember her sitting me down and showing me how to draw nothing much more than stick figured elephants and camels. Once she taught me that she taught me how to draw pictures of women, and horses. Little things that grandmothers might do with their grandchildren that they had so much love for.
that is what started me falling in love with art. I had her get me books on Walter Foster, of which I practiced and practiced. My little scribbles she would make such a big deal over. Like how beautiful masterpieces they were and that each one was so special. I look at some of these same drawings now and see that it was mainly my sweet grandmothers eyes that had seen things only a grandmother could.
At the age of ten she introduced me to a retired art teacher. This art teacher worked with me for 4 years and my grandmother kept her support for me and my art growing stronger and stronger throughout those years.
When I felt like giving up during my teen years my grandmother would tell me that I could do anything that I put my mind to all I had to do was try and believe. That was the thing that got me through those years. I did not do much art through my early twenties. Those years seemed to be tough for me and i had many doubts. But she has always been there for me.
I finally began my pursuit of art again in college drawing and painting. I practice all of the time now. She has seen and encouraged me through all of my works. That encouragement and love has created this site and all of my artwork. That is why this week has been especially hard on me. My grandmother passed away this week, and it has of course broken my heart.
And for my grandmother I have wrote this as an appreciation for all of her hard loving work over the years, with me and all the hearts that she has touched and inspired. Inspired to be better than what they were or could be. And that is why I will always remember my grandmother. Art will continue with me until I see her again, in that she will know that I loved her too and miss her very much.
In loving Memory of my grandmother Virginia Lee Ehmpke
August 30, 1929 - November 5, 2005
I remember her sitting me down and showing me how to draw nothing much more than stick figured elephants and camels. Once she taught me that she taught me how to draw pictures of women, and horses. Little things that grandmothers might do with their grandchildren that they had so much love for.
that is what started me falling in love with art. I had her get me books on Walter Foster, of which I practiced and practiced. My little scribbles she would make such a big deal over. Like how beautiful masterpieces they were and that each one was so special. I look at some of these same drawings now and see that it was mainly my sweet grandmothers eyes that had seen things only a grandmother could.
At the age of ten she introduced me to a retired art teacher. This art teacher worked with me for 4 years and my grandmother kept her support for me and my art growing stronger and stronger throughout those years.
When I felt like giving up during my teen years my grandmother would tell me that I could do anything that I put my mind to all I had to do was try and believe. That was the thing that got me through those years. I did not do much art through my early twenties. Those years seemed to be tough for me and i had many doubts. But she has always been there for me.
I finally began my pursuit of art again in college drawing and painting. I practice all of the time now. She has seen and encouraged me through all of my works. That encouragement and love has created this site and all of my artwork. That is why this week has been especially hard on me. My grandmother passed away this week, and it has of course broken my heart.
And for my grandmother I have wrote this as an appreciation for all of her hard loving work over the years, with me and all the hearts that she has touched and inspired. Inspired to be better than what they were or could be. And that is why I will always remember my grandmother. Art will continue with me until I see her again, in that she will know that I loved her too and miss her very much.
In loving Memory of my grandmother Virginia Lee Ehmpke
August 30, 1929 - November 5, 2005
