Who is Mr. Peter and what does he have to do with TScapArt? Well, it all started in grade 1 back in 1960. The assignment, as I recall (and I really don't recall, to be honest) was to draw a picture of my favourite animal. A chicken?? I suspect that we were told what to draw, because I can't imagine that my favourite animal as a six-year-old was a chicken. Regardless, the end result of the exercise was a portrait of "My Chicken, Mr. Peter".

Now, the discerning eye will quickly notice that Mr. Peter only vaguely resembles a chicken. A mutant chicken, for sure. And now I must acknowledge my mother, the recipient of this masterpiece. She tucked it away in my folder. She kept one for each of her five children. From time to time Mr. Peter would be brought out from his folder to dazzle friends and relatives of my parents. The smiles and giggles that he elicited were not those of admiration, however. Those reactions, over time, convinced me that I should probably find another hobby--ANY OTHER HOBBY--than art. Looking back, I am actually more proud of the fact that the title that I wrote on the "portrait" was legible and contained no typos. Apparently words, and not drawings, were my strength. And as it turned out, I ended up with a career as a technical writer and a learning and development content creator.

Fast forward to 2020 and the arrival of COVID. I noticed a trend early on--people were adopting "COVID hobbies" to help them pass the time while locked up in their homes. I wondered what hobby I could pursue. One day, I stumbled across a YouTube video of someone producing abstract art using acrylic paints. It looked interesting, but....it was art....and....you know, Mr. Peter. So why would I consider art as a hobby? And yet, I was intrigued. So I went out to Michael's and stocked up on paints and canvas paper and went to work, Mr. Peter be damned.

Oddly enough, I find inspiration from that primitive drawing. It is framed and proudly displayed on my desk. I am glad that my mother preserved it. Not because it reveals a hidden artistic talent that I never knew I had. No, the lesson here is that you never know what you can accomplish despite what others might say or think. For most of my life I let people's reactions to the Mr. Peter masterpiece keep me away from art. I let them convince me that I shouldn't be so brash as to attempt to create "art".

For whatever reason, that day during COVID I decided to ignore those voices and try something completely new and totally out of character. And I was hooked! I found so much enjoyment in my new hobby that I couldn't stop. Five years later and I have painted over 200 pieces in a wide variety of styles and techniques. It has been a learning experience. I find the process of working on a painting like a form of meditation and relaxation. Most times I don't start with a vision of the finished product. I let the painting evolve on the canvas. It takes me along for the ride. I am often amazed at the final product. And if I'm not, I just cover it over with a new coat of paint to create a fresh canvas on which to start another piece.

All under the watchful eye of "My Chicken, Mr. Peter".