Saturday, February 13, 2016

TRANSLATING YOUR PASSION INTO SOMETHING POSITIVE


I just realized that I haven't posted on my blog for quite some time. 

This doesn't mean however that my love for writing had waned, inasmuch as I came up with some written materials (at the behest of a couple of friends for their personal use) over the past months. I would say it was for the reason that I had been engrossed with my other passion, sketching (portraiture to be exact). 

I believe God gives each one of us distinct talents. It is inherent upon us to ascertain, and most importantly, make good use of them not only to influence the well-being of others, but primarily to uplift Him.


In contrast to my passion for writing which started way back in high school, I came across my gift of sketching only in recent years. As opposed to my articles which I share to the public through my blog, only my closest friends (most especially my best friend who is an artist himself) are privy to my sketches. I am not that confident yet to make them public, but eventually I will. The fact that my best friend loves most of them inspires me a lot. He is generous with advises and candid enough to point out my mistakes, which I truly appreciate. 

One time while going over a particular portrait, he told me he was impressed that for someone who never had any formal training, I was able to capture the mood of my subject. Since we gain more by being truthful, I honestly told him that I based my sketch from a photograph and made my own representation. I am still not adept in designing based from visualization alone. He told me not to be conscious as that is the way artists actually start. I thought he was just saying that to build up my ego, until I observed an art class one time. The students were each given pictures of certain personalities and were instructed to copy them. So my friend was right after all. I should not have doubted him as he is one person who is very transparent and doesn't mince his words. It's either black or white, nothing in-between.

A piece of advice, pursue and translate your passion into something positive as you were inclined for this purpose. It is gratifying to share your God given talent with others. The sense of fulfillment within you is more than enough to make up for the time spent picking your brain (oftentimes nerve racking) to be able to come up with a meaningful work of art.

At times, it makes me wonder if my career would have turned out on a different perspective had I taken Journalism, Fine Arts or Interior Design (another passion) which I am more inclined to, rather than a business course. My life could probably had been more inspiring, exciting or even dramatic, but I could only surmise. 

Once in a while, as I run through my articles and sketches, I envision myself going up the stage and being conferred a National Artist award in the field of Creative Writing or Visual Arts. 

Of course it's just an illusion, but I can dream, can't I?