For today’s TRIBE Tuesday feature we are sharing a super sweet story.
I’m sure many folks out there have similar tales of being told they were not artists as children (gah…just breaks my heart!), but Romina Montoto had the courage to follow her desire to create and reclaim her artist self as an adult.
I believe wholeheartedly that we all have infinite wells of creativity just waiting to be tapped and remembered.
Here’s one story to prove just that…
Hi, there! I am Romina Montoto. I live in Argentina and nowadays I am on a
wonderful art journey.
This journey started many years ago, when I was a child and I spent a lot of time playing with my imagination and some colors like this. It doesn’t have a title, but I could call it “Frida Lisa”!
One day, I decided to believe someone that told me that my drawings were awful. I felt so ashamed that I stopped painting and drawing. Perhaps, I as a child, I didn’t know how to deal with criticism.
Fortunately, I’ve worked on it. But I have never drawn again…till two years ago. I studied journalism, got married, had kids, planted a tree and wrote a book… but nothing about painting.
When I was pregnant with my third child, I was so stressed that I felt like drawing again. I looked for my son’s colors and painted my family (my inspiring life).
I did it by heart. I had no knowledge of art. I just focused on my feelings.
Later, I found Flora’s blog and decided to start her Bloom True E-Course. It was great. It was not just about painting but it is about life.
I learned I have to let go to let in, to deal with stuck moments and to feel free doing what I like. I also met a lot of artists in the bloomers group — really enriching!
This is the result:
It took me many years to understand it doesn’t matter what people say. You have to listen to your inner voice.
And like Flora says: In art, “there are no mistakes.”
But I’d like to add, there’s only one mistake: Not trying at all.
I feel free and brave now!
Thank you Romina for sharing your story with us today, and most of all, thank you for following your heart back to your art. Love this pic of you at the beach!
xo flora
This is a lovely story. Way to be, Romina!
Thank you for sharing. :o) I love the photo of you at the beach too and your painting is beautiful. It all makes me so proud to be a woman in this tribe. xo Marcia
This is a lovely story. Way to be, Romina!
Thank you for sharing. :o) I love the photo of you at the beach too and your painting is beautiful. It all makes me so proud to be a woman in this tribe. xo Marcia
I was just checking the bloomer`s news and… surprise!!!!
Saw a familiar picture and an even more familiar name at Flora`s post!!!!!!! For a second I remained speechless (just a miracle) and then I starting to jump and laugh around repeating “Flora published me. Flora published me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I couldn´t believe it. Thanks Flora for this big opportunity. I am happy and excited and so is my whole family!!! Thanks for helping me to find my inner artist. 🙂 Thanks you so much.
I was just checking the bloomer`s news and… surprise!!!!
Saw a familiar picture and an even more familiar name at Flora`s post!!!!!!! For a second I remained speechless (just a miracle) and then I starting to jump and laugh around repeating “Flora published me. Flora published me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I couldn´t believe it. Thanks Flora for this big opportunity. I am happy and excited and so is my whole family!!! Thanks for helping me to find my inner artist. 🙂 Thanks you so much.
Beautiful story and “Not trying at all” so true. Oh I am so glad you are painting such joyous works.
Beautiful story and “Not trying at all” so true. Oh I am so glad you are painting such joyous works.
I’m so glad you found your inner artist, Ro. I loved reading your story.
I’m so glad you found your inner artist, Ro. I loved reading your story.
Thanks so much Flora and Romina for sharing Ro’s story – I can so relate to it. Creativity was never celebrated in my family when I was young. It was seen as a childish and a “not constructive” use of time. Having my older sister rip up my first finger painting in a fit of jealousy when I was four probably did not help either! I think I told myself then that it was too painful to share my work so I was not going to do it at all! Took me a good fifty years and several life traumas to jolt me back to myself. Now I can’t imagine not being able to create and draw and paint. It is my favorite thing! No one was more shocked than me when I discovered I actually could draw and paint, let alone feel so good when I was doing it. I am sure there are many who share a similar story, so thank you Flora for sharing Romina’s story – hooray for the both of you! xx
Thanks so much Flora and Romina for sharing Ro’s story – I can so relate to it. Creativity was never celebrated in my family when I was young. It was seen as a childish and a “not constructive” use of time. Having my older sister rip up my first finger painting in a fit of jealousy when I was four probably did not help either! I think I told myself then that it was too painful to share my work so I was not going to do it at all! Took me a good fifty years and several life traumas to jolt me back to myself. Now I can’t imagine not being able to create and draw and paint. It is my favorite thing! No one was more shocked than me when I discovered I actually could draw and paint, let alone feel so good when I was doing it. I am sure there are many who share a similar story, so thank you Flora for sharing Romina’s story – hooray for the both of you! xx
What a lovely story! 🙂 Your artwork is gorgeous Romino! I’d never have guessed from looking at it that you’ve only been painting a couple of years!
What a lovely story! 🙂 Your artwork is gorgeous Romino! I’d never have guessed from looking at it that you’ve only been painting a couple of years!
I love this story!! So inspiring!! Your paintings are beautiful Romina! Thanks for sharing!
I love this story!! So inspiring!! Your paintings are beautiful Romina! Thanks for sharing!
Love your art works and your inspiring story! Every child deserves to be encouraged in art and creativity! Your own children are blessed to have an artist as a mother and encourager!
Love your art works and your inspiring story! Every child deserves to be encouraged in art and creativity! Your own children are blessed to have an artist as a mother and encourager!
I loved reading your story and seeing your art Romina! It’s beautiful. I especially loved the shapes in the upper right corner that remind me of birds flying. I had a teacher once who told me to look at my mark making and remember that it is a “visual language.” I liked that. I believe it all tells a story no matter how abstract it may be.
Peace and Light, Lindy
I loved reading your story and seeing your art Romina! It’s beautiful. I especially loved the shapes in the upper right corner that remind me of birds flying. I had a teacher once who told me to look at my mark making and remember that it is a “visual language.” I liked that. I believe it all tells a story no matter how abstract it may be.
Peace and Light, Lindy
Bloomers!! I am happy to read all of you. I am very moved. It is a dream come true. Thanks for your kind words. Flora´s art changed my life and you are all part of it.
Bloomers!! I am happy to read all of you. I am very moved. It is a dream come true. Thanks for your kind words. Flora´s art changed my life and you are all part of it.
Oh Romina – I love your Frida Lisa and all of your other paintings. So happy you found your creative spirit again and thank you for sharing your story.
Oh Romina – I love your Frida Lisa and all of your other paintings. So happy you found your creative spirit again and thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Romina. I am so touched by you and your art. Your art is so free and the faces are all unique and wonderful.
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Romina. I am so touched by you and your art. Your art is so free and the faces are all unique and wonderful.
Thank you for sharing your story Romina! It does touch my heart so much because I have almost lived the same thing but with writing (I wanted to become a writer but a teacher in high school told me that my style was a piece of shit). You are so brave to have taken your paint brushes one day, and the result is just beautiful. I love your painting!! Keep on painting!
Thank you for sharing your story Romina! It does touch my heart so much because I have almost lived the same thing but with writing (I wanted to become a writer but a teacher in high school told me that my style was a piece of shit). You are so brave to have taken your paint brushes one day, and the result is just beautiful. I love your painting!! Keep on painting!
Expresarse a través del arte es sentirse libre, creativa y llena de sentimientos coloridos. Un orgullo leer esta nota en la que se refleja lo lindo de tus posibilidades expresivas. Estoy emocionada por tus logros. Te felicito y te quiero mucho.
Tu mamá.
Expresarse a través del arte es sentirse libre, creativa y llena de sentimientos coloridos. Un orgullo leer esta nota en la que se refleja lo lindo de tus posibilidades expresivas. Estoy emocionada por tus logros. Te felicito y te quiero mucho.
Tu mamá.