The first oil painting

OLD BARN

Original

20" x 16"

Oil on canvas

©Nancy Tokos 2015

Original.  The first oil painting I did !  A little bit of a personal story;  I had a lovely weekend with my mum.  As we sat and talked and talked, I was looking at the wall and I suddenly realized, wow.  Mom still has my first painting and she still has it hanging on the wall.  I looked at her and said, gee Mom, I really appreciate you have kept my first oil painting.  Do you know what she said? " It's still my favorite."  Way back when I was about 12 yrs old, Mom found an art gallery where they held evening art classes. Specifically, it was LaGalleria in Phoenix, Arizona.  Adrian Hansen was a popular Southwest artist and one of the best instructors in town. We've kept in touch through all the years and friends to this day.  Mom encouraged and supported and drove me to classes every week.  At the end of three hour class, I had a finished oil painting. When we returned home, the painting was leaned atop the fireplace and the family would critique.  Some paintings were great and some were utterly dreadful.  But mom always made me feel like I had found something that I could do.  That's all a parent really needs to do: make you feel that you can.  Thanks Mom.