Perseverance Pays for an Artist

by Sabra Lynne Crockett

I was blessed with the knowledge of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life at the age of five. The decision to be an artist was natural for me, but not well received by my family. However, after my parents saw my passion and determination for drawing and painting they decided to let me continue broadening my education with summer classes. The arts department in my high school also provided me a great foundation to go into college.

Although I believe I was one of the most determined in learning to draw and paint, I was not the most talented student in my class. This did not deter me from creating. I just kept at it. I remember the day when I had a breakthrough. I was drawing quick sketches in class. I sat there intent, and consistently drawing when all of a sudden the drawing didn’t seem hard anymore. From that day all my drawings became easier. My work improved dramatically, and I gained an inner confidence in my art that I did not have before.

After graduating from college, I got a call from my school. They told me about a job as a scenic artist at the local theater. I was hired a week after that call, and it would change my life forever. This was the job that I was waiting for. I could paint big. Really big! I could collaborate with other artisans. I learned to draw to scale that would later be an invaluable skill for my murals.

Later, I was hired as a scenic artist at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. It was there that my education and skills flourished. While I was working full-time at ASF, I was also working as a decorative artist on the weekends. When the birth of my first son happened I knew I couldn’t keep up the demands of taking care of a baby, working full-time, and working on creating a decorative painting business. I made the hard decision to leave the theater, and develop my small business into a more serious endeavor. It was scary, and it was hard, but I persevered.

That summer, my husband and I decided to move Louisville, Kentucky. I found people very helpful. One woman that I was chatting with at a Mexican restaurant offered to help set up a meeting with a very prominent designer in the area. I accepted the offer, and the ID was so impressed with my work he commissioned me to do many projects. This led to more referrals and more projects. I was very lucky and blessed for this opportunity. Without it I think I would have been discouraged and possibly given up. However, it seems that when I feel I am about to give up divine intervention comes along, and kicks me back in the ring.

Now I am having another rebirth, and finding other avenues on my path. I’m finding life is a big puzzle. Although I may not understand where the pieces fit at this moment it will make sense later on. The best part of it is stepping back and seeing the beautiful puzzle I have created with all the knowledge, experience, and friends I have gathered along the way.

Sabra’s Website