It was sometime in early 2019 when my mother approached me and asked if she should try the art class at the local community center. She had always dabbled in doodling, but had never attempted anything more complicated. I encouraged her to give it a go, and what followed was an explosion of activity over the next year and a half. To say that she had fallen in love with art was an understatement. She had found a whole new world to dive into, and she was determined to explore everything it had to offer. Her community center class was not quick enough to keep up with her, so she turned to YouTube for tutorials and guides. Her “favorites” section on her YouTube account is replete with hundreds of such videos. She practiced day and night, trying her hand at everything from pencil drawing to charcoal to waterpaints. Countless times she would text me her new creation, or if I was over visiting, she would excitedly present to me her new piece and ask me to critique it. She always wanted feedback, good or bad. She was a beginner and it excited her to see her progress. My mother’s greatest regret was that her illness robbed her of the ability to “really get good at art.” I’ve selected a number of works from my mother’s large portfolio that range from early sketches to the last pieces she ever created. In going through my mother’s work, the progress, passion and skill was ever present. You were always a good artist in my eyes, Mom.