Day: August 19, 2015

When I was a child I loved coloring books, and of course I always stayed inside the lines. It was a source of great pride to my mother when our next door neighbor who was an artist commented that I had exceptional technique and control when I was only about three. Mama would repeat that compliment over and over again as evidence that I was somehow destined for greatness. Eventually society changed its mind about the art of coloring and pronounced that the ability to fill in the blank spaces of a drawing was little more creative than painting a wall. Furthermore the concept of staying within the lines was viewed as a sign of someone without any particular thinking skills. Still my mama insisted that my outstanding coloring at such a young age was indeed significant.

I soon bored of the habit of coloring as most young children do. I never developed my artistic side save for a required art class that I took at the University of Houston. I probably enjoyed that course more than anything that I ever took. The professor insisted that I should consider a change of major but since I was only one semester away from graduation that was never going to happen. I dabbled here and there in arts and crafts but never really found any reason to pursue my art. My devotion to teaching mathematics always trumped any inclinations to draw or paint. Of late my creative instincts have been mostly poured into writing although I’m not certain that the nonfictional aspect of my essays actually qualifies as inventiveness.  Continue reading “Adult Coloring Books” →