I’ve never really figured out if we are born with talent or just pick it up along the way. I like to believe we all have a talent inside of us - just waiting to be developed and nurtured. Some people sing, some excel at sports - others are good at doing math type stuff. I know lots of people who are just very good at dealing with people. Which ones are learned skills and which come naturally we may never know for sure. Knowing how it happens isn’t the important thing in my view.

I believe how much talent we are born with does not determine how far we take our skills. That is determined by something else I like to call passion. That too may be a genetic trait for all I know. But I do know folks who have a passion for something will take what ever raw talent they may possess and develop it much further than those who lack passion. Talent for something is only the starting point - not the finish line.

I started drawing pretty young. My parents encouraged it. One of my first drawings is shown here. Little did we know drawing and art would become my life’s passion, although by the first grade it was fairly apparent. I wanted to be an artist as long as I can remember - without even knowing really what that might involve back then.

Now, more than half a century later this dream, this passion has not faded in the least. I still wake up each morning with ideas in my head and spend each day making these dreams a reality. Even after all these years I devour every scrap of information I can find in the hopes of becoming better at my craft.

While I may not have been born an artist I have certainly lived my life as one. for me it is purposeful choice each day. It is my wish that everyone can discover their personal passion and do at least a little each day making that passion a reality.

-grampa dan