[infidel29]

I can sympathize with your daughter. I attended Penn State for art in the late 80s-early 90s. I was always interested in realism, surrealism and super-realism.

I once spent 6 weeks working on a pencil drawing. When I finished it, I showed it to my Art 120 (drawing) instructor. He said (quoting as closely as possible) "well... technically drawn it's very good, probably better than I could do, but it's not real art, it's poster art. You can't make a living doing that."

I was so disillusioned at that point. I went on in school for a few years then quit, less than 40 credits from my degree. To this day I don't draw or paint the way I used to, I just don't have the same love for it anymore.

[Miss Marple]

You know, I hate to hear this, because it sounds just like my daughter. I am trying to encourage her to resume, and I wish you would do so as well. The abillity to draw is a gift. I don't have it, or I would be drawing like mad.

Why not try a few things on weekends? Think of yourself as a member of The Resistance! There is a market for your type of work, and with the internet you might establish a fairly good customer base, by-passing the galleries.