I recently found a folder of my previously done art. And found this gem. I did Toby and Toby in year 8 art class. It was the first (and probably only) piece I did for high school art that I actually received good marks for. I never did well in art, I put it down to my and my teachers styles just clashing. What I loved they hated and vise versa. A lot of the time I felt they were trying to force me to do art a certain way and slot into a certain mould. And it made me resent it. This is why I never really continued into art with any formal training or went anywhere with it. It is only now 20years later as an adult I understand I can do art for me and my way.

This piece though I discovered my strength in sketching. I received 19/20 for it and it was displayed in my schools annual art exhibition. Unfortunately it then disappeared. Despite my nagging and nagging my teachers for it and asking where it went they stated they had no idea, they had looked and it was no where to be found. I was heart broken because it was my only piece of school work I wanted to show off. I was proud of it. It wasn’t until a few years later I was older, more assertive and holding a lot of negative feelings and demanded for it again, once again pushed back and I held onto my motto of if you want something done you do it yourself. I went into the art store room in my own time and pulled that room apart. I found it! In a pile of other art works on a shelf. I don’t remember how long I looked but I do remember afterwards thinking how easy that was and do wonder if my teachers had looked like they insisted they did.

I have held onto this boy and his dog ever since.