What I remember most about the contest was the drawing I submitted. When I drew that simple piece it somehow came alive, figuratively speaking. Something stuck me very hard when I drew it. It was just a stick figure running across a hilly landscape with a ghost chasing him from behind. Everything looked like it was in motion and I was fascinated with what I had accomplished. I was so enamored with the drawing that I thought for sure I would win the visual art section. Instead I won the poem segment. I was still happy but confused.
It wasn’t until years later that I discovered that my brother was the one who won the visual-art segment (!!!). He was quite excited about it (again) and he talk for several minutes about how happy he was that we both won. He also mentioned that he wanted to win the writing and or poem segments. Kind of funny how it happened.
Ever since that day, when I was 10 in the 4th grade, where that drawing came alive, I’ve been working hard recreating, capturing and mastering the moment. I want, yearn and strive with about every waking (and in many cases sleeping) moment to create visual works that are alive and move people.
