A Valley woman is sharing how she discovered a hidden talent in desperation when the world shut down in 2020.
“The lockdown was a form of claustrophobia for me, and I found when I started painting it really just took me away,” said Tina Williams.
Like so many during the pandemic, Williams says she felt immense isolation at the time. Work had stopped and for a normally social person, the moment was agonizing.
“I grew up with a family of artists and for me, it was just natural to try and go back into art and I hadn’t touched it in like twenty years,” said Williams.
Little did she know, a hidden talent would soon reveal itself in the medium of watercolors. What began as a way to pass the time, soon transformed into much more when she started sharing her work on social media.
“I posted the picture, I think it was carrots, or an orange, something really simple and I just posted the picture on Facebook, and three people said they wanted to buy it,” said Williams with a laugh.
Requests poured in for her pieces. Williams challenged herself every step of the way.
“Every time I tried something, it came out better than I was expecting and in that first year I sold over three hundred paintings,” said Williams in disbelief.
The success soon inspired her to connect with others and help them find the peace she’d found during the pandemic. She hosted free painting classes on YouTube and eventually at her home once restrictions were lifted.
“Seeing people getting that excited also lifts me up too so that’s why I kind of keep doing it,” said Williams. “So I get something out of it too.”
The entire experience inspired her to urge others to step out of their comfort zone, for you never know what’s waiting on the other side.
“Don’t be afraid to try something new, even though it may be absolutely terrifying because you never know what will come from it,” said Williams.