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Marissa Mondin
02-02-16
Literacy Narrative
Malcolm Campbell
Creating the Right Brain
Iamtherightbrain.Iamcreativity.Iamafreespirit.Iampassion.Iammovement,
vividcolors.Iamtheurgetopaintonanemptycanvas.Iamboundlessimagination.Art,poetry;
Isense,Ifeel.Iwasbornthisway.
IwasaboutsixyearsoldwhenIdiscoveredmypassion,inthedirtsurroundingmy
sandbox.Irememberbrilliantlythebeautifulsummerday,oh,howthesunhitmycheekswith
thesweetestkiss,andhowitlitmyvisionthroughoutthemorning.Ibeganinmysandbox,
diggingholesandmoldingcastles,onlytorealizeIcouldmakesomethingfromthedirtaround
me,too.IquicklylaidoutmycanvasofsandasflatasIcouldmakeitandbegantransferringdirt
intothesandboxasquicklyasIcould,fortheexcitementwaseatingatme.Itwasinthismoment
Idiscoveredcolorandthepoweritcreates.Ibeganmixingthedarkasnightdirtwiththe
twinklingwhitesandtogether,makingshadesofgreyandmediumsofdepth.Ithrewthesand
around,feelingitallinmyclothes,butIdidntcare,Ihadjustcreated.Ihadcreatedmyfirst
masterpieceofsandanddirt.Thecreationwasnevernamedandneverlookedlikeanything
realistic,andthatiswhenIdiscoveredart.
Now,eightyearsoldin1stgradeIwasknownatLouisburgElementarySchoolasthe
thegirlwhocoulddraw;thoughIlikedthename,Ineverfeltitpertainedtolittleolme.Ijust
likedtobecreative.Ineversawmuchspecialaboutmyselformyworkeventhoughpeople
lovedmydrawings,myart,andmytalent.Iwasneverfullysatisfied.Iwantedtobebetter,I
wantedtodrawthehardstuff.Ipracticed.Idrew;Ierased.Ipainted;Istartedover.Imolded;I
destroyed.Ikeptpracticing.Inmyhome,Iauctionedoffmyworktomyfamilyfor5cents
apiece,thoughImnotsurewhyIdid.Ididntwantthemoney;Ididnthatethedrawings.Ijust

Marissa Mondin
02-02-16
Literacy Narrative
Malcolm Campbell
Creating the Right Brain
wantedtobebetterandIwantedtobeconfident.Myrightbrainwasgrowingevenfasterthan
beforeandtherewasnostoppingit.
Now,tenyearsoldin3rdgrade,Ibegantofigureoutmyhand.Itwasanormaldayin
school,longandpredictable,untilmyfavoritetimeofday:Mrs.Becksartclass.Mrs.Beckhad
thedriest,wrinkled,andmostarthriticmagicfingersthatIenvied.Iwantedtobeher.OftenI
wouldaskhowtobelikeher,howtobeabletodraw,andshedalwaysreplyinhersweet
mothersvoice,Marissa,youaresomuchbetterthanme.Youareyoungandyouhavemuchto
learn.Followingasmile,shetoucheduponmyhandandsaidtome,keepdrawing.Always
keepdrawing,andthatswhatIdid.Afterourconversation,shewenttothefrontoftheclass
andassignedournewproject.Shesaid,drawsomething,paintsomething.Somethingyoulike,
somethingyouhate.Anything.
AslongasIcanrememberIadmiredart,butneverunderstoodit.Ineverunderstoodhow
itwasthatpeoplejustpaintedworksofart.Forthisproject,Itookacompletelydifferent
approachtomyart,bytryingtocopyoneofmyfavoriteartists,favoritepainting:StarryNight
byVincentVanGogh.
Istudiedthepainting,triedtounderstandwhyhepaintedthethingshedidandwhyhe
didtheminthatcertainway,whilealsostudyingmyselfinaskingHOWAMIGOINGTO
PAINTTHIS?!WhenIgothomethatevening,Ibeganmywork.Ihadntknownmuchofcanvas
ormaterial,soIpulledoutapieceofcardboard,printedoutapictureofthepaintingfor
referenceandbegancreating.Ilaidoutahugetarpalongthelivingroomfloor,putonmy
smock,andbeganfingerpaintingwithchildlikestrokes.Inthemomentsofpainting,Iremember

Marissa Mondin
02-02-16
Literacy Narrative
Malcolm Campbell
Creating the Right Brain
howmuchIlovedthesmelloftheacrylicsandhowitrandownmyarms.Irememberdipping
mymoist,smooth,learninghandsintothecolorsandmixingthemwithintheStarryNight.Oh,
howIwillrememberthosemomentsforever.Myworkwasnowcomplete,exceptforthebottom
rightcornerwherecardboardremainedbecauseIhadnotyetlearnedhowtomixyellowandblue
tomakegreen.Iwasproud.Iwasexcited.Iknewmyrightbrainwashappy.
IturnedinmyprojecttheverynextdayandwasapproachedwithaweasIcarriedit
throughthehallstoMrs.Becksroom.AsIwalkedintheartroom,allIcanrememberisMrs.
Beckssmile,andhowsheneverstoppedsmilingthatdrearyrainyday.Shehelpedme.She
helpedmelearnthatthetalentwasalwayswithinme.Ihadnoenemyoftimenorinexperience
myenemywasmyself.Aweekorsolater,Iwon1stplaceandapictureinthepaperformy
interpretationofmyfavoritepaintingStarryNight.
Throughoutmyremainingyearsofelementaryschool,Ihadpaintedtwootherpaintings
fortwodifferentteachers,eachofthembuyingmyworkfortwentydollarsapiece.Thisall
seemslikeahappyending,butIwasstillunhappywithmyartwork.IknewIcoulddobetter,so
Ikeptdrawing.
Icontinuedtointerpretdifferentartistsworkinmiddleschoolwhilealsochallenging
myselfwithhardersubjects.IjoinedYearbookClub,ArtClub,MarchingBand,anything
involvingcreativity.Ireceivedmostartisticeveryyearintheyearbookandmostimproved
inmarchingband.Atthispoint,Ifeltmediocre;IknewIwastalented,butIdidntfeel
exceptionallygreatlikepeoplesaidIwas.IremainedpatientandknewthatIwasimproving.I
wasgettingbetter.

Marissa Mondin
02-02-16
Literacy Narrative
Malcolm Campbell
Creating the Right Brain
Whenhighschoolcamearound,lifechangedingeneral.Ihadabusyschedule,many
classestotake,andnotalotoffreetime.MyschedulewassopackedandhecticthatIwasnot
abletohaveanartclassuntilmyJunioryear.Untilthen,Iwasonmyown.Onmyowntokeep
practicing,withonlytheenemyofmyself.Ifoundithardtofindfreetimetowanttodraw,
becausemosttimesitseemedlikeachorethatnevergotcheckedoff.Iknewitwouldntbethat
simple.TheonlytimeIhadtodrawwasafterschoolhoursandinclassesthatboredme.ButI
keptpracticing.Ikeptdrawing.Ibegantoseebetter.
Finally,oncejunioryearcamearound,IwasabletotakeartclassesagainwhereI
instantlybegantoshinewiththeconfidenceandskillIhadbeendeveloping.Iwassurprisedhow
naturallyIsurprisedmyself.Iwasdrawingdetailsfromimagination,thehumanbody,shading
basedonlight,drawingfromlife,evendrawingmyself.Iwasdrawing,Iwasdrawingwell!It
wasalmostmagichowmyhandjustgrewwithmyrightbrainoverthemanyyearsoffrustration.
Overmytworemainingyearsinhighschool,Ionlycontinuedtogrow.Iwasdrawing
thingsmyteachercouldnt,myhandswerenowarthriticandIwasgetting1stplaceawardsinmy
county.Ithadtakenalongtimealongtime,formetorealizethathardthingstaketimeto
learn.Itsometimestakesyears.IwillneverbeaPicassooraVanGough,butIamme,andI
thinkthatsprettydamngreat.
SohereIam,now.Ivefinallylearnedtodraw,thoughcollegehasproposedanew
challenge:howtolearnthethreedimensionallanguageofdrawinginspaceandlightlikean
Architectinsteadofasanartistjustonaflatcanvas.Istartedofftheyear,unexperienced,scared
andlostagain.IfiguredmystorywouldbehappeningalloveragainthenIrealizedthestory

Marissa Mondin
02-02-16
Literacy Narrative
Malcolm Campbell
Creating the Right Brain
doesntend!IrememberedIhavesomuchtooffer,alotthatotherpeopledonthave,alotthat
otherpeopleenvy.IrememberedthatIhaveaprecioustalent,Iworkedhardtodevelopit,andI
deservetoknowit.Sure,therearemorethingstolearn,thatswithanything.Letshopemyright
brainisready.