Praise Goes a Long Way

Monti at PRAC studio

When the shadows get longer and the air turns cooler, I feel a little down. After all, baseball season is over for my team and daylight savings time soon will be over as well.

That's the way I felt as I headed to October opening night at Petersburg Regional Arts Center where I maintain two art studio spaces. But, when I arrived, the wife of the artist in the studio next to mine met me with praise for my novel, Night Watch, which she had bought from my display table. She also had purchased Secrets by the Sea which she enjoyed as well. By the end of the evening she had a copy of Hearts Across Forever already reading it!

My spirits lifted right away! Next, I had some visitors interested in my paintings who exclaimed over my work. Then a college art student found me who said he'd been wanting to meet me for some time because he liked my work so much. And then an old friend, a former pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, appeared with more great enthusiasm.

Needless to say, I left Petersburg with a warm feeling! At a time when I needed validation for my work, I found it for both my writing and my painting. Praise goes a long way! We all need to remember that...