Fueling a dream
Have you met someone in need of encouragement? I’m not talking about goofy, sweet, empty encouragement. Southerners do that too easily and it becomes meaningless. I’m talking about seeing someone’s natural ability and giving them much needed feedback. I was the beneficiary of some serious encouragement when I started selling my work — and I learned first hand how we impact each others lives.
My first art shows were student shows in a mall — setting up after 9pm when the stores were closed, smelling Chick-Fil-A for twelve hours straight, and talking to people about art who came with their kids to buy tennis shoes. In the 90’s, mall shows were common and usually profitable. They were long, exhausting days for a person like me who wasn’t used to talking for twelve hours straight, but they were exhilarating to say the least.
The people I met at those shows changed my life. Kind people who bought amateurly framed paintings for $50. I remember every single one of them and can still feel the thrill of watching them walk past my work then circle back and take a second look. They weren’t friends and family - they didn’t know me at all. They asked me questions and ignored my homemade display stands. They bought a painting then came back the next day and bought another one. They were patient when I GUSHED my thanks and sent them long heartfelt handwritten thank you notes the next week. These people literally opened a door to the rest of my life.
Think about opening a door for someone today. Recognize someone’s progress. Support their dream. It will brighten your life as well as theirs.
