05/20/2026
I am beyond proud of my nephew, Abbott Newton, for winning "people's choice" at the latest show at The Portsmouth Arts Guild Center for the Arts!!!
He's a junior in high school, and was up against all kinds of artists of all ages - the kids got serious skills!!!
When he was growing up, his mama and I would take him out to lunch and he and I would do this thing where one of us would draw on the back of the placemat for a few minutes, then pass it back and forth so the other could add to the picture... and now he's winning awards! 😭😭 I'm SO PROUD!!!
I tell him I'm honored that we have his work hanging in our house - I highly doubt he believes me, but I sooo am! He texted me a picture of the painting he made for me a few months ago, I thought he was just showing me his latest piece... but when he told me it's for me, you know I cried. 🥹🥹🥹
It's so so so cool to watch all of these kids I've had the privilege of painting with for their whole lives grow up into these incredible art loving artists - I couldn't love it more!! Thank you so much to all of the parents who have always, and continue to let your kids love art! When I was these kids age, I took art at Rogers... I was never ever once was encouraged by an art teacher to pursue art as a career (or even as a hobby lol). My grandpa Inky would always tell me how good I was, but he's my grandpa, he has to tell me that, right? Wrong. My grandpa didn't lie lol! The first art teacher to encourage me was not until my 5th year in college as a "geography of tourism concentrating in event planning" major. One day, my prof asked to speak to me after class, out of a room of 50 students, I was the only one. I was like great, what am I in trouble for...? So I sat across from him at his desk and he said you're an amazing artist and I want to make sure you get into all of the best classes from now on, let me help you pick your classes for next semester! I told him I'd already selected my classes and then after next semester I'll be done with college! He was like you've been an art major this whole time and I've never heard of you - how is that possible? I told him no, I'm a tourism major! He looked me dead in the eye and told me "please excuse me, but you're making the biggest mistake of your life". What a compliment! He was right, but at the same time, I was so sick the first several years out of college, so I often think the way I did things is how it had to happen in order for me to start Mermaid Masterpieces! So, long story not short - I will always encourage and support the kids, and genuinely appreciate all of the other adults who do the same!!
Congratulations, Abbott!! Watching you grow into such an awesome artist has always been one of my favorite parts of you growing up, and always will be! I'm so excited to see where else your art takes you!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Ps, if you see this, then see Abbott and tell him "congratulations! I saw your aunty Beckys post about you!!"... he will tell you I'm not his aunt. Yes I am. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 His mom is my childhood best friend. We grew up next to each other and are both only children, and we have always said we're sisters. So, yes I am his aunty, I do not care what he says. This is a hill I will die on, and something we've argued about since he was little 💯🤣🤣🤣 hahahaha!! 💜🎨💜
Gallery - Portsmouth Arts Guild https://share.google/aXxFCp0XsNEeK4yAh
