Shirley A. Jenkins

I have always “felt” like an artist. It is an internal need, but it has taken years of study, workshops, and classes to get to a level of competence and confidence. Finally, to be able to say, “I AM an artist”. Only after moving to the Baltimore area from the Alabama Gulf Coast where I got accepted into the Baltimore Watercolor Society did I start to really develop as a painter. I paint once a week with some of my BWS friends. This is so valuable because I trust their critiques and opinions. I believe it is important to have someone whom you admire as an artist, to give you honest feedback. Your friends will most often tell you “It’s great!” which is good for the ego, but not for growth.