I just set up my new website (cherylmcnulty.com) that will feature all of my artwork. I just had to chuckle because the line I used to start off my introduction is:
As long as I can remember, I had wanted to be an artist. In my younger days, I would bring home large sheets of manila (I always thought this was “vanilla”) paper from school and draw pictures in crayon for every holiday. Then, being so proud, I would tape these pictures up in my kitchen for all to see.
That just brought back so many memories for me. I distinctly remember when it was time for art class when I was in 4th and 5th grade. They would pass out this large sheet of paper and put it in front of you and you had your own (hopefully sharpened) Crayola Crayons. Like I said, I always thought it was “vanilla” because of the color, not manila. Anyway, the teacher would say something like, “Okay, I want you to draw something with snowmen”,or “Draw something that represents Springtime to you”.
This was like heaven to me. I couldn’t wait. I would stare at this large piece of paper and think, this could be anything. It all begins with that first stroke. I would be so excited and had so many ideas in my head, I didn’t know where to begin!! We had just one hour to complete it. Of course the boys and jocks all moaned like they were in a living hell, which I could never understand. Although, I was always the one that hated Gym class! Go figure.
Do you know I would be so immersed in my drawing, that the hour went by like it was ten minutes for me. I enjoyed it that much. This could also explain why gym class felt like half a day for me, when it was only an hour. Yuck!
Anyway, I would always get alot of compliments on my drawings. I would do the fancy shading thing with my crayons, not just plain orange, but shade it in a darker orange or red to give it that “oompf” factor. My mother taught me that trick when she would color in my coloring books when I was small. She would color in my Snow White coloring book and make Snow White look like she would jump off the page. She had blushing, pink cheeks and shine in her hair.She looked beautiful! And this was just crayon!
Well, now I’m really going to make myself blush by sharing with you some saved old crayon drawings from long ago. Yes, I saved some. What can I say…I was proud! Now don’t laugh! Here goes:
By The Sea (colored pencil,1979)
Spring (crayon, 1978)
Bedtime (crayon, about 1975)
Joy To The World (crayon, 1976)
My House At Christmas (crayon, about 1975)
A real photo of my house (I think I did pretty good)
