We've all felt discouraged at one time or another about following our dreams. Do we have what it takes? Are people going to be supportive of our passions? Kathryn Hegarty decided that her desire to paint was worth the risk. She picked up her first paintbrush just seven months ago at the age of 19.
Now 20, Kathryn just launched her own Web site to showcase and sell her art. With so much negativity in our world today, Kathryn wants to put something positive and beautiful out into the world.
Before October 2001, Kathryn Hegarty had never even doodled in her spare time; the best she could pull off was a few penciled stick men. And even though she has been dancing since she started to walk, painting was one art form she had never tried. One day, while surfing the internet, Kathryn started to look at the works of Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir and Monet. She was intrigued by their use of color and brushwork and instantly felt a connection to painting. She described her experience as "finding a part of me that had been there, but I hadn't noticed for a long time."
Most of Kathryn's work has been done on canvas with oil paints, though she has started to experiment with watercolors and mixed media (that means using other materials in addition to paint.)
Kathryn Hegarty gets her ideas for her paintings from all over. She said it often feels as though someone or something guides her in regards to the things that she paints and the colors she chooses to paint with. This June, Kathryn is headed to Greece for two weeks and hopes to get to Africa later in the summer. Her painting, Shadows of Africa (which is Kathryn's personal favorite,) is a depiction of what she believes Africa looks like. She hopes that her travels will bring her lots of fresh painting ideas.
Check out what Kathryn has to say about pursuing that secret passion you might have:
"If you love to do something and it makes you feel good, you should do it. Reach for your dreams and keep at it. Things will get tough and the roads do get rocky, but they do even out eventually and if you work hard towards that goal, you'll have the success you want."
If you want to see more of Kathryn Hegarty's work or are thinking of purchasing one of her paintings, then head to her site, www.kathrynhegarty.com.
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