After 30 years of art deprivation I needed to work on changing my mind and how I viewed doing art. I realized it was about a selfish need to be the best. I was operating on a self seeking ideal of I am so special. But I’m not or never will be special. I was in a sick competition with myself. I would not do anything that did not come out perfect. So I did nothing.

When I was a child I never judged myself. I loved doing it.  I was in my happy world of creating. I needed to get back there now.

I was scared to go back to the Art Students League after so many years. I took the easiest beginners drawing class on Sunday morning when it was not crowded. I wanted to learn and I got rid of the my arrogance. The instructor was a very old woman who had a great career as an artist. I focused on every drawing and just let myself go.

The result is the marker drawing of Evita the League’s infamous model. I captured her big personality in a few strokes of ink.

Come back to art as a beginner and learn not to be special.