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As a child, I wasn't particularly interested in art. It was not until my husband went into the army that I started painting. Then it was just an interesting way to spend time. When my husband's tour of duty was over, we returned home to New Jersey. I was now a mother with a young son and had a lot to keep me busy but once a week I went to a local adult education class and took art lessons which I continued to do after my second son was born. Finally, when my younger son was old enough for nursery school, I also decided to go back to school part time. I enrolled at duCret School of the Arts in Plainfield, NJ and started my formal art education. Although DuCret is actually a three year program, it took me 7-1/2 years to finish. I was only able to go 1 day a week at first and gradually increased the number of classes as my sons got older. I thought I would never graduate. However I finally graduated in 1989. I feel that an artist has two choices as far as their career is concerned. They can earn their living by fine art directly (painting plus teaching) or they can get a job and paint in their free time. I feel that choosing either path does not make you more or less of an artist because it's the paintings themselves that count. I personally chose to work as a commercial graphic artist. I also am always working on a new painting. Whenever someone tells me that they wish they had learned something as a child but it's too late now, I always tell them that you can start learning something new anytime. I know that's what I did.
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