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| Vera Ritter - Artist |
I have always loved landscape photography with mountains, water, boats flowers and/or wildlife. I am not a Photographer who enjoys doing Photography for weddings or events. I love looking through the lens and finding the right composition for my photographs to preserve them as a memory. There have been many trips where I have had a wonderful adventure and when I look back at the photographs they flood me with good memories. I know when I leave this life those memories will fade and the photographs won't have the full meaning unless I display, explain and show them to the world. I need to do a better job at defining that moment in time with my viewers so they can come away with the feeling of being in that place and time. I need to really work on writing out my thoughts as it pertained to that one moment in time.
My art is rather new and yet some would say old. I have always influenced my children and grandchildren in the area of art. I bought many art supplies and kits, canvases and paper for them to dive into yet I didn't. I didn't think I was an Artist but that maybe I could influence others to see their full potential. It worked, yet one day an Art Teacher who was displaying their work and art classes at a Winery where my daughter's art was being showcased in their tasting room asked me if I was an Artist as well. I laughed and said "Oh no, not me! I'm crafty and love photography but no I can't draw a straight line!" She said "oh, really! Look around this room at all of the vendors with art and do you see any straight lines in their work?" I truly looked around and saw through her eyes that no, there wasn't a straight line drawn! Incredible. She then explained that I could very well be an Artist. It just takes the first step to start.
I went home and bought myself some art supplies and pulled off the shelf one of a hundred books I have of my Grandmother's collection on how to do art. My Grandmother Vera Ritter was an Artist and had a book on how to do just about everything in art from pastels, acrylics, water coloring and oils. There was no topic that wasn't covered so I decided to read some of her books and review mixing colors. It became an adventure and passion. I was hooked. I decided to just paint out of my head and they turned out good but looking at pictures and painting was somewhat easier for me. I had plenty of photographs to choose from since I have been a Photographer since my Freshman year at college and really even before that.
I believe that if you put your mind to it you can do just about anything! I'm still in the learning stages of fine art and I am currently looking at doing some mixed media projects and how to paint stimulating backgrounds for my canvas paints. I think a great background with interesting color mixes can open up the world of imagination. I sometimes flip through my Grandmother's books and find inspiration. They are very old books and booklets but are still relevant today as they were 30-40 years ago.
So if someone tells you they could never be an Artist, maybe they just haven't had the courage or the push to get started. Share my story. I shared it with some elementary girls in a book club that were reading about art and learning to sketch for the first time. I believe words can leave an impact and that we all have the capability to be creative!
We are made in the image of God and God is certainly the most creative ever! I know I can't be at his level but he has given us gifts and creativity is certainly one of them!
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| Vera Ritter - Artist |
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