Starting Out

[blind_...@hotmail.com]

hey Laura Lee Harris, I am an art student in grade 12, and first off I
would like to say that im a huge fan of yours. Your works are so great
and undescribable. Your color coordinations are so fine and some of
your ideas are unimaginable. I was just wondering how was it when you
first started out as an artist? What was it like? Was it hard being
accepted into the art scene?

Thanks:)
Andre Kan

[laur...@lauraleekharris.com]

Hi Andre,
Thank you very much for all your wonderful thoughts coming my way. To
your question; did I find it hard starting out. Yes. I did. As an
artist but also for the very fact that it is the untried and was
untrue. Untrue in that it needs to be tested over time and galleries
want to know that you are not still just testing the ground that your
are firma on your terra and you aren't going to be straying off to say
watercolour still life. They want to know how true you are to
yourself, and your vision. And this is a test not only for your work
but also for you, personally along your jouney to discovering what
you're made of, how tough you are, how resiliant. Can you snap back
after being told that you are going no-where by someone, that you are
wasting your time as what happened to me by a professor who taught art
history, who was jurying my work at a show that he declined and told
me that it wasn't original enough, comparing it to Max Earnst who did
some pencil tracings on his wood floor once. So you can imagine my
pain after hearing all that. Well I went home and looked up Max
Earnst and I also looked up this supposed professor who would tell
someone such a thing to discover that some people are in pain
themselves from their own inadequacies and to not take it personally,
just grow off it, forgive them, move on and you will grow. Don't what
ever you do hold on to such awquard moments of their's for it wasn't
mine to hold on to. As you can see, I did move on. Did he? I don't
know. That's his journey, not mine. The art scene?
hmmmmmmmm...what's that? Beleive in yourself. That's all that
matters.
I hope I answered your question.