Renee Marks

I had a dream as a child, that I would one day be an artist. After so many eventful years, my dream has finally come true.

I grew up in the country in North Western Oregon, USA. As a child. whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, even at age three, my answer was always definite and quick, “I want to be an Artist! To me, that meant painting pictures of the things I loved the most. For me, there was nothing out there that was more interesting to draw or paint than people.

In grade school my teachers were usually dismayed at all the people and figures I drew on the corners of my school assignments. My tablet was more full of drawings than school work.

I never took an art class in high school because at the time the cost was simply too high at our school. Be that as it may, I did have a reputation for drawing. As a sophomore I was asked by the art class to create a huge blue rose for the backdrop for the Graduation. They were asked to do it and agreed then realized no one in the class could do it. They begged me to stay after school and took me to the art room. I used pastels after school and the art class was thanked by the Principle during the graduation ceremony for creating the most beautiful blue rose for the backdrop. He actually believed that the art class created it. They never corrected him either. But I did not care. I knew who created it.

I spent most of my life raising my 5 children and loved every minute of it. Raising children is a work of art in itself and was the highlight of my life and brought me joy beyond measure. After widowhood at age 47, I felt that my chance to be an artist was long gone. I certainly was not getting any younger!
This all changed when I remarried and my husband surprised me by taking me into an art store with him on impulse. My heart pounded in excitement the moment I held a brush in hand just to ponder over it. It was that same longing and excitement I had when I first held a paint brush in my hand from a small tin watercolor set as a child. The store owner must have recognized that look and told us about a watercolor workshop coming up. I said, Oh, I don't know, but my husband said, why not? Just go for it. I had never been so encouraged before.

That day changed my life.

My skills came from practice and personal study. It is my firm belief that we are our own best teachers. My favorite subjects to paint are Maternal and Paternal in nature