The Missing Gene

I was born with a genetic deficiency. I lack the artistic/creativity gene.

This is strange because I had an aunt who was a professional artist.

(This is a portrait she painted of Jeri.)

I had an uncle who was a sculptor and created such amazing monsters out of whatever pain was going through in his head.

I have a cousin who does such gorgeous cross stitch.

There are lots of artistic people in my family who paint or draw or arrange flowers or tell fanciful stories or create things with yarn or cloth, or do all sorts of artistic things. Ned is a great graphic artist who has his own unique style and recognizable characters.

That gene escaped me.

Oh, I'm not saying I don't have talent. I can write, but I can't write fiction, as I have stated before. I will not be the grandma who creates wonderful fictional worlds for Brianna, but I will read to her. It will just have to be something that somebody else wrote.

I decorated some gorgeous, unique cakes. But I had to stop when Jeri moved out. I relied heavily on Jeri to draw something like "a guy hitting a golf club over a herd of sheep" for me. I could recreate it in frosting, but no way could I think of what it should look like.

Since I started sponsoring kids through Compassion Int'l, I've been reading suggestions from lots and lots of other sponsors about the things they do for their kids. One suggestion was to make a book of photos and other pictures to show your family, your life, and the things you like. I thought that was a cool idea, so I had a bunch of photos printed and sent off the first couple of pages this week (you are limited to 1/8" thickness, so this book will have to be sent over several weeks). Yesterday I did a photo collage of things that I like (that I could find in the only ladies' magazine I could find in the house, an old issue of "O Magazine").

I think it is fairly safe to say that the average Kindergarten student could probably do something this good...or better!

But it's the thought that counts, right?