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When he was nine, Tim began to fill a tin box full of art
supplies to carry with him to school. Once class began, the reclusive
student would take out his oils and skillfully paint images that were
technically and aesthetically far beyond his age. While his talent baffled
his teachers, Tim’s ability to shape unique images made him intriguing to
his classmates. Even though he felt uneasy initiating conversation, he made
friends with other students through the excitement that surrounded his art.
During this time, Tim’s bedroom began to resemble an artist’s studio. Filled
with drawings that littered the floor and paintings that covered the walls,
Tim slept only where he could make enough space to curl up for a few hours
of sleep.
Recalling his earliest memories, Tim knew that he was certain to become an
artist. But he also grew to recognize that the adults surrounding him did
not truly grasp an understanding for his irrepressible yearning to paint.
Even as a young child, when asked about his expectations, Tim sensed that
they sought a more traditional answer from him. In response, Tim replied
that he was interested in fighting fires, or joining the army, all the while
knowing his life was undeniably predestined.
As he transitioned from elementary school into high school, Tim was
inevitably placed in the highest-level art classes. And, while still in high
school, his teachers added further challenge by enrolling him in college art
courses. Though he attended the classes, he was too stubborn to be taught
technique. Rather, Tim felt his sole purpose was to find a quiet space
where, in solitude, he could develop the images that haunted his
imagination. While there were teachers who attempted to speak with him about
exploring career options in the arts, this increasingly reserved and quiet
student showed little interest in the future, apparently having only one
intention in mind: to paint.
As Tim grew to adulthood, his world became more complicated. Though he was
certain of his ambitions, his parents, who knew him best, were wary. His
mother and father had heard about the incredibly low success rate for
artists. Researching various reports, they found that less than one percent
of all artists were actually able to earn a living from their artwork. They
could not help but be justly worried about their son’s prospects within such
a competitive and unpredictable field. Concerned, they urged Tim to attend
college and redirect his talent into marketable abilities such as commercial
illustration or film. Despite their fear and counsel, Tim persisted with his
notion to become a fine artist and continued his uncompromising obsession to
create even more unique images.
One afternoon in the spring of 1985, while Tim was painting in class, a
gallery owner came to view his work. He was astonished to discover someone
so young already possessing such exceptional skill, knowledge, and vision.
Perceiving the rarity of Tim’s work, he immediately offered him an
opportunity to present his paintings in a one-man show. Suddenly, the joy of
creating art became something different. At fifteen years old, with little
warning, Tim was preparing for an event that required he enter into an
environment that was both unfamiliar and intimidating.
What Tim did not know as he began to greet the enthusiasts who gathered at
his first art show in San Francisco, was that a representative from
Washington D.C. was waiting to meet him. Charged with choosing a piece of
art that would capture the spirit and talent of California’s youth in the
Nation’s Capitol, she had already considered the works of thousands of high
school students. Struck by the power and beauty of Tim’s images, she
acquired a piece to hang in the collection of the White House. One hour
after the show began, all of Tim’s paintings were sold, leaving him with
conflicting emotions. Tim was elated to find that people drew such pleasure
from his work and thereby wanted to collect it. But there was an unforeseen
sense of loss. He would no longer possess the images that he had grown so
attached to over the many months they took to create. Although bittersweet,
the fifteen-year-old understood that the heartache of parting from his work
allowed him the freedom to create more. That night, Tim learned that selling
his paintings gave him an independence he could only dream about—the
realistic means to dedicate his life to painting.
 
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