While rooting around my parents’ photo albums this past weekend I came across this newspaper clipping from May 21, 1986. I get frequently about how long I’ve been doing this art thing, and here is a small story that shows it’s been quite a while. That’s me, second in from the left at 9 years old winning first place in a town-wide colouring contest in Goose Bay, Labrador when my family lived there.
Now, the article says we submitted a page when we actually submitted an entirely coloured book of around 8 pages. Way more work then this clipping let on, to the point where I missed submitting the book in class because I put so much effort into it.
On the last night my parents let me stay up late to complete the colouring, then drove me to the police station the next day to submit the book directly to them. A week later they contacted my school to tell them they had a finalist. I was picked up at lunch time in a police car, siren blazing and drove to the town hall with the other 6 finalists from other schools where we met the mayor. Me and another kid (I believe the girl beside me) were awarded first place and scored $30, a small fortune for a kid of 9. I often wonder if any of those other kids are doing anything creative today.
And what did I buy with my riches? I didn’t even have to think about it…
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