In 1969 I tried to draw the portrait (by Manuel Gregorio Acosta) of Cesar Chavez on the cover of TIME magazine. I sat at a TV tray in our living room with a pencil and sketch pad struggling to get a likeness. I was ready to give it up but my mom encouraged me to finish it. For a first try, not too shabby. I entered it in the White Rock Elementary School student art show and to my surprise it won first place.

Mom congratulating me on winning first place in my elementary school art show.

Am I an artist?