Even when I never knew it.
I was a PAINTER.
It kind of snuck out of me
like laughter
or a need for attention.
It came at inopportune moments
like when I was sculpting with clay
and started painting a wet shape
with watercolor
and soggy brushes.
It came at funny moments
when I was decorating sugar cookies
at 7 years old
and started painting with icing
on warm Santa shapes
and was told immediately
that it was an incorrect way to finish the project.
They did not look like Santa at all.
They looked looser
and softer
and got non reviews from my hungry sibs.
"They do not look good
but they TASTE good"
I remember them all saying.
I was hooked.
Good is good.
Icing gets eaten
and all the evidence of my genius
was suddenly GONE.
So I started using food color on
egg shells.
I would glue the egg shells onto
pieces of wood I found in the
old garage behind our house.
The wood was not perfect
but the egg shells make it look so.
And when I added food color paints to them
It was magical.
I saved those first drawings forever.
I hid them under my bed
because it was the only space I had that
was never disturbed
except by lost socks
and dust bunnies.
Much later I pulled them out
and marveled at how simple they were
but by the uncomplicated beauty of
egg shell painting.
No one else saw the genius
except my Mom.
She loved everything I created.
Moms do that.
I was always a PAINTER
and she knew it then.
