MY JOURNAL: YEARS AND YEARS OF PAINTING ..., ETC.

New Mexico Pots, Watercolor
Private collection of Dr & Mrs Jim Theen,
Medford, Oregon

Thinking back to my formal art training I should say that It wasn't all that much!

Earlier I mentioned that there was not much "art" so to speak in my elementary years. I am certain there were memograph sheets that we were to color, cut out figures of Lincoln and Washington to hang in the classroom windows, etc., but I honestly cannot remember doing anything that excited or challenged my artistic abilities.

Once in junior high school everything began to change. There were opportunities to take many classes in arts and crafts, pottery, paper mache and wood carving. I did it all and ( and immodestly, says she, --very well. ) I just wish I had concentrated as much on doing my math, English, history and Spanish lessons! I wanted to explore every art form that was offered! With my studies, art, and band, I was a very busy junior high school student! I always volunteered to do posters and lettering for school functions and found great satisfaction in seeing my art displayed.

Attending Hobbs High School was sort of a blend for me. I found it necessary to "buckle down" for those last three years of high school. I was only able to take one art class during that time. In my sophomore year I was so pleased to be in a classroom full of art students! The instructor was a really fine artist and gave us so many opportunities to create! Drawing in graphite pencil, charcoal and conte crayons were introduced. We concentrated a lot on human form, perspective, composition and technique. We painted in Oils mostly but also in pastels and watercolor. I thought I would be an oil painter but I really liked pastels and watercolor too. By the end of that year I felt ready to be "a real artist" and knew that when I entered college what my major would be.

I began working downtown when I was a Sophomore and I didn't have much time to devote to artwork with the exception of working on the HS Annual. Instead I needed to spend my time after work doing my class assignments for the next day. Somehow though I always managed to find time to volunteer to do posters for the Rally Squad pep rallies, the band, homecoming parades, etc. I always served on the decorating committees for the school dances, my high school sorority (Phi Gamma Gamma), and also did window signs for the drug store where I worked. Had I concentrated on my studies as much as I did on these extra curricular activities I always felt I could have been a 4.00 student! As it was, I was happy with a 3.2 average.

POST NOTE:
I must add here that while taking graduate level courses at SOU I was finally able to call myself a 4.00 student!