| I’m Ed Terrell. I’m a local artist, meaning I’m from this area (Reading, Pennsylvania). I was born in Philadelphia. I came to Reading when I was six years old. I went to elementary school right up the street from here—Lauers Park. Art has been a big part of my life ever since I can remember—even going back to the sixth grade. Even in school I was entering in contests and stuff like that. The reason I mention Lauers Park is that recently we had a dedication of a piece of my artwork there. We donated it to the school. I was there for that dedication, and it was so emotional for me because I started out there in that school and never thought a piece of my art work would be there in that lobby. I left Reading in 1970 and went out west to California. From there I went to Europe. I stayed over in Europe and then to Asia and Africa for about thirty years. I just recently came back about ten years ago. I’ve lived off my art all my life. It was painting, sculpture, or crafts—whatever I felt like doing—and marketing myself. I’ve lived off my creativity. I owe that to my perseverance. Art is not an easy profession, but I felt I needed to stick with it because it made me feel good. It was something coming from me. It was something I could control. Even with the ups and downs of the so-called starving artist I’ve stayed with this and till this day I’m very thankful that I did. I’m the President of this organization and I’m the art director of this organization (ACOR). |
