A blank canvas holds promise, opportunity, and freedom. It encourages the creation of the unknown with a simple touch of the brush and the paint. I only discovered the joy of painting two summers ago in my internship at Vino & Van Gogh, a fabulous art studio on Augusta Road in Greenville. Since that beginning, I've been able to establish my own works of art and teach others.

I'm still in the formative stages of my painting aspirations, but I enjoy every minute of sitting down, looking at the canvas, and deciding what I want to produce. What colors do I want to combine? What brush do I want to use? What message am I trying to convey? These are the questions that run through my mind when I encounter a blank canvas.

My first moments of teaching occurred this summer when I was asked to take over the self-portrait summer camp at the studio for a few days. We were doing Picasso self-portraits, which involved a sheet of paper with a multitude of facial features that we would choose from in order to design our masterpiece. I sat down and stared at the options, puzzled by the task ahead. How could I combine these elements to make a face, a person?

My final Picasso self-portrait and Orangina, my favorite French orange drink.

My final product exemplified my love for color, lines, and brightness. When I saw the self-portraits of my students, I could see the creativity abound, and I was grateful to have the chance to instruct them in this artistic way. I have taught a few classes since this summer, and I've always enjoyed seeing the variety of interpretations that these painting classes allow.

I enjoy painting because I enjoy exploring my own aesthetic ideals and how they translate to the finish. Painting gives me the power to use the tools that I've been given in a positive and inventive setting. It is cathartic because I am "in the zone" when I paint, and I emerge with a different view on the world around me. My love for the creative is magnified when I have the opportunity to sit down, put brush to canvas, and uncover just what I needed that day. Many thanks to Marquin for giving me this ability to express myself and share my love for art.

Lucky Strike of the Day: After an unusually warm day and a rainstorm in December, the clouds were puffy and luminous during a drive around town.