Now and then, we learn of an artist, musician or writer who took up their creative work rather late in life and then gained recognition for their exceptional talent. Such suppressed creativity may have resulted from a lack of opportunity during their younger years or from misguided discouragement by their parents, teachers or counselors.
Indeed, the Arts are not highly respected by a segment of our society. In their opinion, "real jobs" take precedence and they encourage their offspring to pursue the professions, business careers or traditional family ventures such as farming. To them, art, music and literature are merely hobbies.
This scenario is unfortunate, both for the individual and for society as a whole. The artist often spends much of their life engaged in an unrewarding career and society is deprived of their artistry for decades. The work of creative persons has enhanced our lives since the dawn of human civilization; it is always a significant loss when their artistic skills are suppressed.
