An Artist's Tale with Esther Neal

Every fabulous space requires a special touch be it a favorite piece of furniture, an heirloom quilt, or a unique work of art. About a year ago my sweet friend Esther showed me some of her paintings and I was in awe of how she captured so much emotion in each of them. I am so excited that today she is sharing with us how she has used her hobby to bless her friends and family. Here is her story:

The first time I realized people would pay money for my art was a great awakening moment for me.  Until that point in my life, I felt that my talents were all intangible ones that could not be showcased or easily shared with others or enjoyed by them.  My senior year of high school, my Art IV class participated in a senior art exhibit.  For 2-3 weeks, several of my assignments were on public display around town.  Call after call came through from interested buyers for several of my paintings. 

During my college years, my art became more than simply a creative outlet.  It was a way this broke-as-a-joke college kid could give nice, meaningful gifts to family and friends on a tight budget.  I would plan months in advance for special occasions and would then thoughtfully consider something meaningful to my intended recipient. 

For more than 10 years now, I have given my art to others.  The real gift is mine, however, when I have the privilege of seeing how people respond when they receive one of my original pieces.  The ear-to-ear grin, or perhaps the tears welling in their eyes, provide me with tremendous satisfaction and make the countless hours invested in creating it all worth it.

This past Christmas, I wanted to do something really special and unexpected for my fiancé.  For several months, I scoured the Internet for ideas and decided I would make the violin the subject of my painting for him since he learned to play on a violin that belonged to his grandparents.  Each night when I would sit down at my art table to work on my newest watercolor creation, the anticipation I had of the smile it would bring to his face made my work even more fun and exciting.  It is one of the gifts he treasures most!

 Violin – 2012 | Watercolor (9"x12") | Private Collection

Esther Neal is a Southern girl raised in Mississippi and transplanted in Northern Alabama.  She is a Mississippi State University alumnus with a BA in English and Spanish and an MBA.  Her hobbies include painting with watercolors and oils, traveling the world and then blogging about her experiences (http://snapshotsofmercy.wordpress.com/), and spending time with great friends. 

Thanks for joining us today, Esther!