I loved your story, im an artist, self taught, its just been three years since i started to paint, but i feel so blessed to be able to come up with a masterpiece, the inspirations flows so easily, nature itself is my inspiration. I feel rewarded by comments and appreciation, my greatest critic is my wife. If she is not satistfied with it, i change the whole painting if i have too sometimes to make her satisfied and it also brongs satisfaction to me seeing it done. Im a nurse and i very much enjoy painting as a hobby and a side line, by word of mouth i never run out of clients in the hospital from employees or friends or family, i dont really need the money, but i use it as an investment for better tools and colors, i want the best quality for my work and just seeing what was created makes me feels so rewarded