My mom is already super cool but growing up as a child of an artist/art teacher, like, really shaped me as a person. No matter your skill level your creations matter and are so so important and I'm just so fucking proud of you. And I mean fucking ALL of you.

I'm not an artist myself (at least drawing-wise. I enjoy pottery and music and writing but not much for the "I'm holding some sort of stick (pen, paintbrush, digital stylus, etc. ) and making something with it haha)

But since my mom was an artist, and I just CONSTANTLY grew up around creators. It just, idk makes you APPRECIATE things you know? My mom was a wildlife artist (she's won a couple competitions, "State Trout Stamp" is one of them.) and I remember as a little girl seeing her make her prints and how LONG they took her. And even with her WINNING some and having great paintings, she'll still have the "Oh, I hate that one >:( " which ofc, there's an "artist's eye" but it kind of makes me laugh as literally no matter your skill level, EVERY creator has a "Ew." project.

Not great lighting sorry, but these are what she's made. (Yes, there's a thermometer on the buck. That's one that a lot of people like but she doesn't so much haha. the bottom middle is the one that won.)

And since she was a teacher by the time I came around (doing her prints on the side) I grew up wandering the high school halls as a little girl and watching and playing with her students who were artists themselves.

I remember seeing how LONG it took them. Some would get frustrated with a certain thing they were struggling with like hands or making sure their eyes were right. Breaking pencils or throwing away projects. Some would start to cry and then they became a "sibling" for a moment as "mom instincts" would take over my mom and she'd just sit with them. Sometimes if I happened to be playing around in the classroom and they were there after school ended (or for "Art Club") after getting frustrated they would come to play with me on the floor with those drawing manikins and other toys that were in the classroom. (My mom was essentially a "Ms. Frizzle" type of teacher and had LOTS of toys in her class room. From Barbies to potato heads as "they're good inspiration!". She's still like that and even kind of looks like Ms. Frizzle too!) A lot of these students were my FRIENDS (more like a bunch of older siblings), even as I got older. (some were even babysitters for me) and it's funny now if I run into them and now they have kids of their own.

I don't even know what I'm chattering about anymore haha. I just...I'm really proud of y'all. Doesn't matter where you're at in your "leveling up skills", I KNOW how hard you all work. I KNOW you've taken a lot of time to get where you are! I don't do it myself but I've SEEN your efforts! I think a lot of people will see art and just think "oh it's just copying what you see" especially for hyperrealistic paintings or even for stylized stuff. People see it as "easy" or if it's not "perfect" then it's "not worth it". not even BOTHERING to understand the circumstances and/or story of the artists. And every artist has their ups and downs! I mean like I said, my mom has won competitions and STILL has her "Ew >:( " paintings! Something I've seen a lot of folks on here do!

...I'm sleepy and don't know how to end this haha. Just know you're doing a great job. I'm so happy you've gifted us your creations. It's a privilege to get to see your growth in real time.