Isabel Lopez

My parents were immigrants from Mexico and I grew up without much money for an extra set of pencils or crayons to satiate my desire to make art. “I did not have the opportunities that a lot of other kids had to go to museums and go get a box of crayons any time I wanted them. Even when I ran out of paper, my mom said I would draw on the walls and they had to keep telling me, ‘Don’t draw on the walls!’ They would finally give me paper towels to draw on so I wouldn’t draw on the walls.”

I remember quite vividly the times Imagination Celebration came to my school. I even remember IC’s grand opening ceremony its first year. There was a huge Chinese dragon that was dancing around and there were people and artists that came to Farrington Field. It was just fascinating…I remember being in shock!”

IC opened my eyes to the art world. I can remember thinking, “Oh my God, there are people who see the world like I do – in color and shape and lines…others who see the beauty in the world.”

My father, who grew up making ends meet by working on farms and later working as a steel mill worker, was especially worried about my fascination with art because he was convinced that art was no way to put food on the table. Throughout high school, I was convinced of this, too, and I figured I would end up working right out of school or perhaps after junior college. However, my senior year I was picked for Imagination Celebration’s Young Artist Apprenticeship Program. I recall my joy at getting to work one-on-one with Ron Tomlinson, “It was just a mind-blowing thing to work with an artist…this is when I started thinking, ‘I could really do this. I can make a living with my art.’” Displaying my work for Imagination Celebration’s Young Artist Apprenticeship program was the first time I professionally showed my work. There was a reception and everything.

Best of all, because of the work I did with the IC Young Artist Apprenticeship I earned a full scholarship to Texas Wesleyan University.With my scholarship I double majored in art and education.

“That’s why I teach art. I want to give back and be an inspiration to those kids and show then there’s a whole new world out there.”

Now I teach the fifth grade and art classes at schools in the same neighborhood I grew up in. I invite IC programs into my classroom whenever I can-- bringing in dancers and artists. Imagination Celebration “inspires me to be a better teacher.” My goal for myself and my classroom is to “Have fun and make art!” My 11 year old daughter is following in my footsteps! She, too, is a talented artist and IC attendee.

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