I Have No Talent

[Grant]

Ever thought you had no talent .... then this link is for you.

This text version of The Myth of Talent first appeared in the publication F2.8. The Myth of Talent is also a talk which has been given to thousands of photographers around the country over the last eight years. What you will find is the extended, unedited version of the text that appeared first in F2.8. Future presentations of The Myth of Talent will be announced in the site news.

http://www.radiantvista.com/media/articles/radiantVista_ar_mythOfTalent.pdf

[Mary]

I have printed out two copies - one I am reading and one I am going to hand off to our son. I am only on page 4 but I already feel something welling up inside my soul.:)

[Lynn Dryer]

Grant you are always coming up with words of wisdom for the forum. This article is just another example of the talent you express. The article will be used by me to help others whom are always saying "I have no talent". Everyone has a talent it is a matter of finding it and putting the effort into doing something with it.

Thank you for sharing, once again.

Lynn

[Carbone]

Grant! This is wonderful reading!!!! Thanks :)

If I may... there's a book for those who think they can't draw : Drawing on the right side of the brain.

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0874774241/qid=1138296016/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/701-9406000-7119550

Basically, it helps the reader to see past his/her preconcieved judgment on things and people and how he/she sees it, rather than how they really are. You will learn to draw stuff upside down, paint your own auto portrait, etc. It's a very inexpensive book and will bring to the surface the talent lyining in you. We all have talent. But sometimes, we let our ideas block it.

Ray

[Wendy]

Grant ...

Wow that is inspiring !!

Wendy

[Norm F]

Hi Grant,

Thanks for pointing to that article. I feel a tinge of hope having read it.

[kayser]

It was a very interesting read and mentions some of the things we've talked about here on the forum.

And I'll have to check out that book that Ray mentioned. When my daughter started to be able to color, I decided that I needed to be able to draw SOMETHING, and I found a book called Drawing with Children by Mona Brookes. I found it very helpful in getting started and I was so proud of what I drew in my little sketch book!

Next, I have to learn how to carry a tune...

[Pauline]

Kay, I have that book. We were at one time going through the lessons and then lost momentum! A big suggestion for drawing is when you are copying something draw it upside down! In other words have the copy of what you are drawing upside down. You mind doesn't recognise it as well and you end up drawing what you see instead of what you THINK you see! The picture example we used was an old man in a chair and a funny looking picture it was, but when we drew it upside down they all turned out perfect!! It was truly amazing.

[Edmund]

Grant, very inspirational. Did you ever read "Johnathon Livingston Seagull" it is also very enlightening.
Thanx, Eddie DePinter

[NMarti]

Grant,
Just found this thread and read it - twice! This is very inspiring to me as you well know for a couple of reasons. Thanks - I needed that!;)

[Shane Sitter]

Grant, thank you for sharing this. I just finished reading the article while having my first cup of coffee this morning. It really hit home for me. I am 42 years old and all my life I have felt there was some creative piece deep inside me, but I could never figure out what it was. I was always restless in my earlier years. I held high positions with companies working my butt off to prove myself and rise to the top. More money... that will make me happy. I quit work and became a stay at home mom several years ago. I still worked hard, stopped receiving paychecks(LOL), but one day I picked up a camera and started clicking away. People said..."hey you are pretty good". I took photography classes and was all over this new hobby. Then I went back to work for financial reasons and dropped photography all together. Well now I am again a stay at home mom and have realized that photography has helped me find myself and discover who I truly am. For once in my life I am content and feel I have found what I have been looking for for so long.


OK... so I have bored you with my story. Sorry about that. Just felt compelled to share after reading the article. Grant, it is all your fault!!!!

[Grant]

Just felt compelled to share after reading the article. Grant, it is all your fault!!!!



Shane Sitter

If it is my fault that we have found out how wonderfully human you are then I will take the bullet on that one.

[Pauline]

I think if you are passionate about what you love it makes all the difference. I have always been this way with ALL my crafts! Each and every one was like an addiction where I would challenge myself to do better, learn more (knitting, cross stitch, painting, photoshop, etc.) When I was a knitter I would do complicated baby layettes. I would also design my own patterns.

It's also wonderful when we have teachers who share some of their 'beginner' work so that we can see that of course they weren't born knowing how to do it all. It's hard work building up your knowledge, but the payoff is wonderful.

Shane, I have been a stay at home mom for almost 17 years and it's my painting that made me feel like I had accomplished something. Cleaning the house, laundry, etc. never seemed like an accomplishment. When I started painting, I had something to show for my 'time'. It also gave me an identity other than wife and mother (and house slave).

I don't understand people who don't have hobbies or passions and spend their days working and evenings in front of the television. But then that's just the way I've always been.

[Shane Sitter]

Pauline...I think we are very lucky to have a passion or two. I can relate the to the cleaning the house, doing laundry, etc. Yes it is nice to be a stay at home mom and take care of my husband and children but I had to have something that satisfied me. Photography it is and what a wonderful hobby.

My mother in law told me awhile back that I was lucky to have a passion. Not many people do and it is truly wonderful. I consider ourselves very lucky indeed.

Grant...it is funny how you can share your inner feelings with strangers at times but yet I can be very reserved with my own family. Need to work on that!!! Have a good one.

[Pauline]

Shane I couldn't imagine my life any other way. I don't know if I would have felt different if 'stay at home Mom' wasn't treated by everyone as being someone who is lucky to stay and home and do nothing all day. After a while you really start to feel devalued by society and I even the term 'home maker' leaves me feeling somewhat defensive. I was just thinking about this yesterday when I viewed my profile somewhere. I've decided from now on that my "occupation" is going to be listed as ARTIST! :D

[Jodi Frye]

Pauline, ya, about a year I had mentioned in front of my husband's family at Thanksgiving time that I was just the maid in our house. Of course it was just a joke...and I wasn't being completely serious...my husband's niece who is 28 going on 14 says out loud " Well ya don't work so that's your job "...it was all I could do to keep my mouth shut but I did. Not sure why that statement bothered me so much but it did.

[Pauline]

It bothered you for the same reason it bothers me. You feel devalued because you aren't bringing in a pay cheque. You aren't worth anything. I find a lot of people for some reason assume you're stupid too! The incredible talents that you have are considered a 'hobby', but if you did the same thing and sat at a desk in an office other than in your own home attitudes would change. But I've come to terms with it and don't apologize for my 'luck' at being able to stay at home. It wasn't luck it was good planning and a lot of hard work before I had kids.

[Carbone]

I've always had something else other than work in my life. Digital imagery being the latest, but I also did some reading (I used to read one book per week!), programming, photography, videogames with friends, pool (the ball game..), drinking.. (oops!) etc...

I too cannot imagine spending every and all evening in front of the TV.. one TV show here and there, that's ok... but not 7 days a week... ouch, my brain cells are hurting :)

Ray

[troush]

Jodi and Pauline and Shane,

As a fellow (fellowette?) SAHM (stay-at-home-mom)... Fooey on them! I feel so blessed that I can be a SAHM. I'm here for my kids when they need me (plus, I'm able to homeschool my daughter) . And, my husband is super supportive. He doesn't expect me to do *everything* just because I am here all day. Of course, he's very realistic and knows that it can't be done with twins! I worked until the day before my oldest (5 now) was born - for 8 years. We always lived on only his income so we could make sure we could afford to do it. There is so much more joy in those little hugs and kisses and thanks than those big paychecks. And to watch them grow up... I cannot express in words how it swells my heart.

Anyway, your value as a mother is worth millions more than anything else. I think if anyone ever read the first presidental mother's day proclamation (I can't remember who it was), people would understand how much it is mothers really do, besides be maid, chef, chaffuer (sp?), disciplinarian, etc...

It takes talent to be a good mother - and lots of practice to get there :) .

-Trish

[Jodi Frye]

toughest job I've ever had, best job I've ever had :) ...