Could do better

                                  Self portrait by Roger de la Fresnaye


When I was a teenager at school I was a mediocre student thinking more of playing sport, laughing with the other boys and eying the girls. Instructed by the teachers I would do the minimum to get by and my reports would often have the phrase “Could do better”.  All that changed when a temporary Art teacher came for a couple of terms. My free flowing mind soon received her approval and she would single me out to talk about my future and my attending her class was the highlight of the week. She even said once that I should devote my whole life to art and asked if I would dare to go to live with her and her husband and concentrate solely on the creative side of life. She told me they lived in a converted barn with a huge studio. To this day I have no idea whether that suggestion of hers was serious as I never submitted to the temptation as my parents were dubious to say the least. However the seed was sown and instead of criticism I had received praise. Instead of feeling negative about myself I became positive and this has made my whole life worthwhile.