Linda Osburn, Artist
A Whole New World
I am a native Californian…born and raised in Kern County. I was born three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor and was the first baby to be born in a blackout in Kern County, (gives you the month and year I was born). I remember my father telling me how difficult it was to drive home in the dark…. without benefit of even the moonlight.
My education had not a smattering of art or art history….so I always put myself in the “no I don’t draw or paint” category. My husband Bob was a self-taught artist who loved to share his knowledge and passion to create with our children. I was the bookkeeper…the one that assumed the right side of the brain had left the building, and I believed I had absolutely no talent for creating something that would hang on a wall.
In April of 2000, before my husband passed away he made me promise to take painting lessons from one of his artist friends. Bob said, because of my love for bright colors and the way I noticed details, he thought I had an artistic side that I didn’t know was there, so I promised I would take lessons. In June of 2002, I kept my promise and took painting lessons from an artist friend of his and soon discovered that I did have an artistic side.
I never dreamed keeping my promise would open up a whole new world and how painting would fill my life with so much joy.
I took lessons from a number of artists, but never found someone that could bring out the real me and help me find my style of painting, so I put the art aside for four years. Then in 2006, I read an article in the local newspaper about an artist that was having a gallery show for two “late blooming artists” and so I decided to stop at the gallery and inquire about lessons. After four visits and not finding a parking space, I told myself that the next time I drove by if there is a place to park I would stop… there was and I signed up for art lessons with artist Claudia True. Claudia helped me paint with a new found happiness and taught me to listen to my instincts.
I called the columnist that had written the article and thanked him and explained that his article was what brought me to Claudia’s Studio. He appreciated the fact that someone actually took the time to tell him that his article made a difference in their life. So he decided to write an article about me and how I found my joy in painting again, and he mentioned the student gallery show that Claudia was hosting. That was on January 26th, 2007…… I sold my first 11 paintings that day, and thus began my art adventure!
I am so very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to share what I love with others by teaching beginning acrylic painting classes and working with San Joaquin Hospital’s Art Care program through the Arts Council by painting with the patients.
Since that time I have been very well received in the art community and the Arts Council of Kern has invited me to exhibit twice.…what a ride so far, and I know this is just the beginning!
My education had not a smattering of art or art history….so I always put myself in the “no I don’t draw or paint” category. My husband Bob was a self-taught artist who loved to share his knowledge and passion to create with our children. I was the bookkeeper…the one that assumed the right side of the brain had left the building, and I believed I had absolutely no talent for creating something that would hang on a wall.
In April of 2000, before my husband passed away he made me promise to take painting lessons from one of his artist friends. Bob said, because of my love for bright colors and the way I noticed details, he thought I had an artistic side that I didn’t know was there, so I promised I would take lessons. In June of 2002, I kept my promise and took painting lessons from an artist friend of his and soon discovered that I did have an artistic side.
I never dreamed keeping my promise would open up a whole new world and how painting would fill my life with so much joy.
I took lessons from a number of artists, but never found someone that could bring out the real me and help me find my style of painting, so I put the art aside for four years. Then in 2006, I read an article in the local newspaper about an artist that was having a gallery show for two “late blooming artists” and so I decided to stop at the gallery and inquire about lessons. After four visits and not finding a parking space, I told myself that the next time I drove by if there is a place to park I would stop… there was and I signed up for art lessons with artist Claudia True. Claudia helped me paint with a new found happiness and taught me to listen to my instincts.
I called the columnist that had written the article and thanked him and explained that his article was what brought me to Claudia’s Studio. He appreciated the fact that someone actually took the time to tell him that his article made a difference in their life. So he decided to write an article about me and how I found my joy in painting again, and he mentioned the student gallery show that Claudia was hosting. That was on January 26th, 2007…… I sold my first 11 paintings that day, and thus began my art adventure!
I am so very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to share what I love with others by teaching beginning acrylic painting classes and working with San Joaquin Hospital’s Art Care program through the Arts Council by painting with the patients.
Since that time I have been very well received in the art community and the Arts Council of Kern has invited me to exhibit twice.…what a ride so far, and I know this is just the beginning!