Thought maybe it would be fun to learn more about each other, and to make it easier for you to confess to your past lives, I’ll start. For many years, I was a painter. I tried my hand at lots of styles, but I enjoyed tole and decorative painting the most. My rule of thumb was, if it sat still long enough, I’d paint something on it. I sold my items at various craft fairs, on my website, and on eBay. I also taught decorative painting and acrylics on canvas for beginners.

Things painted on rustic wood were always big sellers for me, especially during the holidays. (These pictures were taken long before iPhones and digital cameras existed, so excuse the poor quality.)

Facial detail.

I painted seasonal things, like these:

And things on slate, wood, tinware, jars, and even rocks. And oh, yeah. Even canvas!

You get the idea, I’m sure. And truly, I loved to paint, whether it was decorative painting, like above, or landscapes and seascapes. But then, I discovered digital painting, and my whole focus changed. (See Part 2).