From Early Creativity to Building a Poetry Portfolio

As a child, my creativity was often met with amazement, especially from my mother. When I was about 6-10 years old, the English examinations had a writing section requiring an essay or article on various topics. The interesting twist was that certain topics had polarizing options—such as ‘my Diwali/Holi celebration’ or ‘what if I had wings.’ I always opted for the unusual topic to stand out from the mainstream. I would come home and proudly share my feats with my mother, who would often go on to inform everyone she met about my creative abilities!

This early display of creativity through written word and art was a good sign for my future development. In my early years, I was able to explore my artistic talents at home before starting my education in Infants School and Junior School. I created detailed sketches of a pet cat named Tiger, showing that attention to detail was important for some artistic pursuits, but not all. I learned early on that choosing the right medium over a simple painting-by-numbers method was essential for more impactful artwork.

Exploring Art and Crafts

My education in art and crafts was extensive. I studied italics at school and tried various painting techniques such as oil paints and watercolours. I even painted a set of four lovebirds, and a neighbour offered me five pounds to paint a similar picture for him. This early exposure to commission work provided an opportunity to explore different styles and techniques.

The Path to Success and Challenges

When I reached the O Levels, I might have earned a C pass if it weren't for being encouraged to paint the life study subject for a higher grade. This experience revealed the importance of setting specific time limits for artwork and aiming for high marks. It also showed me that sometimes the pursuit of perfection can overshadow the joy of creating.

My mother’s interest in art was inspired by her job where she worked for a lady who wanted to paint her own Renoirs and other works. When my mother started her own paintings, I offered advice and helped her complete them. This has allowed me to preserve some of her beautiful pieces, now golden-framed and hanging on the walls of our home.

Nurturing a Writing Habit

Later in my life, my heavily tattooed brother returned with a new tattoo of Christ crucified, and I sketched it with the intention of painting it for a miniature art piece using watercolours. This experience underscored how sketching can evolve into more detailed pieces. Unfortunately, I do not have many paintings remaining, but I have added extra artwork due to my love for UK wildlife artist Stephen Gayford. I have written over 700 poems inspired by his wildlife prints, available on websites such as eBay and other auction sites.

I am thankful for the Grammarly website, where I registered to get my poems checked for the Poemhunter poetry collection. Many poets create their e-books as PDF files, and I have done the same for my collection.

Building a Writing Community

Nowadays, I prefer to view fantasy art and edit free-to-use photos on websites such as Unsplash and Pixabay to add to my poetry pieces. Little did I think that my Stephen Gayford wildlife art poems, such as the Portrait of a Prince, would be included for English studies and explained in YouTube videos. This has encouraged me to continue writing and sharing my poems with a wider audience.

If you’re interested in exploring more of my poetry and artwork, you can visit my webpage.

Through my journey, I have learned that the early signs of creativity are not just a fluke but a foundation for future success. Whether it's through writing, painting, or poetry, embracing one's unique talents can lead to remarkable achievements.