How I Became an Artist - Part One

Since I already told you a bit about myself in my Profile,  I thought it would be a good idea to start at the beginning.  Granted, this might not interest you, but maybe it will inspire someone to follow their artistic dreams.

  First of all,  it took me the longest time to call myself an "artist".  I'm sure many out there have felt the same.  Well, I admit I'm an artist!  How did this happen?  Certainly not overnight.  I was born in 1948( yes, I said the beginning),  and in January 1949 a snowfall of up to 3 feet fell in San Antonio.  My mom said that my dad went around covering the holes in the wooden walls with calendars, maybe that was the start of my being very observant!  By age 2, I was drawing very primitive cats and my mom still has the drawings.  I must say it does look like a kitty.  I moved on to drawing dancing people and so on.  In the 50's , my mom ordered my first drawing set from John Gnagy who had a drawing show on TV.  I found it fascinating and can say that I still remember those lessons on geometric forms.  I continued to draw throughout my childhood encouraged by my mom, dad, and my grandma.  My "abuelita" embroidered and crocheted the most beautiful designs of her own making.  I still have samples of her art and treasure them.  I realize now she was an artist.


Below are photos of my "abuelita" with me, my school photo around the time I started learning accordian, the big snowfall in 1949, and a sketch I did for mom and dad around 9 or10 years old.

We lived on the west side of town which was a very poor part of San Antonio at that time but my parents provided me with creative opportunities.  They bought me an accordian and I took lessons for four years at the Caldwell Music Co. starting at the age of six.  I taught myself piano at the age of 13 when mom bought me an old upright piano.  One summer mom and I took the bus to the Witte Museum for  art classes.  When high school finally arrived I was so ready for art and took art the four years.  Even though Edgewood High School couldn't offer much in the art department,  I still came away with some good instruction.  Many kids just took art to pass the time because they needed an elective and so it was frustrating at times.  There were gaps in my knowledge and I didn't know how or where to take the next step.

After graduating in 1967, I went to work and in 1972 got married and because I couldn't make my painting do what I saw in my head, and didn't feel I was an artist,  I gave it up.  Our son was born in 1975 and then our girl in 1983.  It was in 1982 that I picked up a brush, some acrylics and painted a cat during a low point in my life.  My husband has always encouraged me to do something with my art but I just didn't know how and we didn't have the extra money.

I started looking for a class I could afford and in 1982 tried an art class at San Antonio College but it didn't satisfy me as I wanted to learn the foundation of a painting and this was a class where you just throw paint on the canvas with no composition.  I did learn not to be afraid of color.  Next,  I found an oil painting class at a senior citizens center (I was 33 at the time) and they still took me in.  Unfortunately, it was a "paint as the teacher paints" and even though my painting looked exactly like hers,  I couldn't say how I did it. I gave it up again as my daughter was born the next year.
 
During this time, my creativeness found another outlet.  I took private piano lessons with  Professor Leo Lightner for a couple of years to fill in the gaps of my piano playing.  I also gave piano lessons for a number of years having up to 12 students and I would have recitals at the Alamo Music.  I participated in Professor Lightner's recitals at the Taylor Concert Hall at Trinity University.  I slowly phased it out as I didn't want to commit to extensive studies. 

In the late 80's and throughout the 90's, I worked as a substitute teacher and toyed with the idea of becoming a teacher.  But again, my heart wasn't in it.


As all parents know, raising a family and trying to find creativeness is a real challenge.

In the spring of 1997, I took floral design with Anthony's School of Floral Design and started to do weddings and such.  I enjoyed it very much, but at the back of my mind was still the desire to paint.

Finally in the fall of 1997,  I started looking again for an art class and all wanted a semester payment which I didn't have. The art classes I could afford would get cancelled.  In the Yellow Pages,  I found the Coppini Academy of Fine Arts and they had a pastel class given by Mary Johnson.  It was a pay as you go class and when I asked her if she would give me a class even if she had a few students, she said she would give me a class even if I was the only one!  What joy!  And so, I started learning pastels, painting portraits and still lifes.  Mary said if I learn portraiture, I can do anything.  And it was art the way I liked it, with foundation and meaning to me.  Under Mary's guidance,  I entered my first competition at the Coppini in 1998 and placed first in the pastel division.  I couldn't believe it!  Remember,  I didn't consider myself an artist!  Well,  maybe there was something here for me. 

The journey began or maybe finally got on track.  It took several more years of intensive instruction with national and international pastelists before my art started to show what I had in my head.  Through contact with other artists,  I found out what to do with my art and it has proved very satisfying.  You can see my list of Awards and a list of the artists I have studied with on my website, www.mclopezart.com.

I will continue with the next part of my journey on the next post.  May this inspire you,  it's never too late to get started ~ Stay Inspired!