by Amanda Davis, Marketing Associate VISTA
“I made a mistake; can I have a new sheet”
“If you make a mistake, fix it”
“Huh?”
These were the words exchanged more than 18 years ago between my first art teacher, Mrs. Maupin, and I in my kindergarten classroom. At 5 years old, I was told to take my mistake and fix it, to make it into something else, to create a masterpiece out of it. These words have stuck with me all my life and I have not only done my art by this but I have also lived my life this way. This teacher paved my way for the art world. She taught me to look at art not as just another slide of a paintbrush or a stroke of charcoal, but 
instead to see each piece through the artist’s eyes. I fell in love with art that day and have never since gone back.
Working here at Theatre Action Project, I have had the opportunity to see so many people take something and make it into a masterpiece, whether it be our mural outside or taking a book and making it into a magnificent play. It is wonderful to see people use their imagination and take it to others. By working at TAP I am getting the opportunity to surround myself with people that can take what others call a piece of junk and turn it into a beautiful masterpiece, to take a mistake and fix it.
What are some memories that you remember from your art teachers growing up? Is there something that has stuck with you?
Creative Action 