11 Comments
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Margaret Abramshe's avatar

Those “Wimples” still scare me!

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Meg Greene Malvasi's avatar

Terrific post-this so resonates! One of the earliest struggles in parochial school was the issue of my left-handedness. Thankfully my father spoke up and that nonsense stopped. But I can also remember the looks on the nun’s face when I colored my people and animals all different colors or when I went through my “fruit people” period. It took me years (and some mentoring from you!) to find my way back-thank you Lesley-

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Lesley Riley's avatar

Isn't it strange how our innate creativity was disapproved of? I'm glad we both found our way.

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CeCe Sullivan's avatar

Lesley thanks for this post. I too went to Catholic schools in my youth. And it was a lay teacher, whom I adored, who ripped me when I didn’t exactly follow instructions. Devastating at that time. But we somehow made our way out of that negative experience and became artists.

I love this quote from musician Kevin Murphy.

“To me, good artists carve out their own island or world, and you go visit it.”

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Lesley Riley's avatar

Yes! Let's live on that island of our own making.

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Susie Dahl's avatar

Great post Lesley. When we want to please ourself more than anyone else we are very creative.

I attended a public school, and the desire to please the teacher and fit in was WAY greater than whatever the heck I wanted. I don’t believe I had much of a clue about what I wanted.

As I becgan to sense ideas, I still needed the instructor’s approval.

It takes the time it takes.

You were not wrong❤️

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Lesley Riley's avatar

I was always too "silly" or not taking my studies seriously. At a young age, a nun told me that I could do anything I set my mind to. I believed her, and it gave me confidence. I decided that it was something good to know that I could fall back on that when I was ready, lol.

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Susie Dahl's avatar

Having someone believe in you is HUGE. I praise my grandkids art constructively, and perhaps with too much detail to express my support in their choices. It goes a long way for them and gives me ideas!

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Nancy Klatt's avatar

Lesley, I was raised Catholic and unfortunately it was my experience that nuns were not at all fond of creativity. I’m sure there were exceptions, but in the small backwater that was my hometown, the nuns were staunch enforcers of the rules, as they saw it. Personally, I think you may have dodged a bullet with that school.

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Lesley Riley's avatar

Poor nun, missing out on so much in their lives. Thanks for commenting this week.

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Jun 23
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Lesley Riley's avatar

Duplicate comment

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