The shy villager girl’s dream
Hello.
My name is Marie Ange and I’m the 2nd born in a family of 5. I was born in a small village in the countryside of mid highlands of Madagascar.
I was a very shy girl, one who didn’t socialize much with other children but spent much of my time drawing and painting. I didn’t join others in play but would draw away to the rice paddies, where I would draw on the mud using my fingers and sticks. At age 5 I had learnt how to make paint from flowers and plants and brushes from chicken and bird feathers. I would use sharp sticks to draw birds, animals, people and houses on sisal leaves and proudly display my artwork for all to see.
Butterflies and grasshoppers were live models that I would draw. In school I would often be called by the teachers to draw sketches on the board and my parents sought to advance my talent but there were no art schools or academies in Madagascar.
I tried learning from other artists but they could only teach me what they knew, which was very limited.
My dream was to one day attend an art school.
I moved to Kenya when I married a Kenyan missionary and for many years I didn’t practice art as I had other responsibilities to take care of. All this changed last year when my husband and I volunteered to a program that was using art to rehabilitate street children.
Through drawing and painting the children can express themselves and the trauma they’ve been through, thus bringing healing to their emotions.
After this initial phase they would want to learn more. I could only teach them what I knew and felt so limited in what I knew. I sought art courses and schools in Nairobi but they were very expensive. By God’s grace a friend sponsored me for a short portraiture course, which is part time. I started attending once a week and I soon realized that I needed additional training that would be more full time. I sought solutions online and that’s when I came to know about the Drawing Academy two months ago.
I was very fascinated to learn about the very simple but comprehensive training program where the drawing master concept is taught and the tutors have one on one interactive sessions with the students. I loved the topics and this was really what I had wanted to learn to be a master artist.
My only problem was that I couldn’t afford to pay for the course. I felt frustrated.
A month ago I decided to try the free drawing course. I really love it and it has given me such a desire and appetite to try do the main drawing Course. I’ve seen myself grow and develop so much and I can’t imagine how I can be if I attended the full Drawing Academy. I would become a master!
This would bring my childhood dream to pass.
I learnt about the drawing competition, which if I could win, would enable me to attend the Drawing Academy.
For this competition I’ve submitted a drawing of a portrait of my 11 years old daughter Pretta.
She is a naturally gifted upcoming artist, whom I’ve been naturing and teaching her what I know. She is such an inspiration to me and in her I see many children who shall benefit from my being trained at the drawing academy.
To me winning this competition is very important as it will not only fulfill my personal dream to be trained to be a master artist but will also help fulfill the dreams of hundreds of street children and other children, including Pretta.
I also have one more dream: To establish a drawing academy in Madagascar and help thousands of Malagasy children fulfill their dreams in art.
I now need your vote to help me win this competition.
Your vote will not only help me win but hundreds of children will also win as I train them after I’m trained at the Drawing Academy.
Your vote is so crucial and together we shall be a winning team.
Would you NOW help the lifetime dream of this shy village girl come true?
Please vote, vote, VOTE……. for me.
Thank you.
Best of luck to you! I like your portrait. I feel like I have a sense of the person, who she is instead of just looking at a drawn face.
Thank you so much Marianne for your kind words and wishing me the best of luck.You are very right about how you sense about the portrait.God bless you
Your story is very captivating and I see a sense of mission in your desire to enroll into the academy.My prayers are with you.Go girl,get your dream!
Thank you for your encouragement.May God do something
He is able!
All the best. I love the reazon u have for winning this competition. A life well lived is spent on making the helpless great pple in the society and better than you are. I will enrol in ua academy coz i see u winning n being what u have envissioned. Blessings
You are absolutely right.The reason why we live is to give our talents to those who helpless to make them worth living!thank you
Your effort will make u one of the best…every single block of your effort is a stap to abright future,u will be the best. Am watching u at an angle
Thank you so much for your kindness.may God bless you
Dearest Marie-Ange your story is very inspiring and your desire to win the scholarship is really legitimate :) & worthwhile♡☆★. I hope from the bottom of my heart. You’ll win and I know as a teacher you’ll pass on any knowledge and skills you’d learned from the Academy.
Wishing you the best ♡☆★☆