A Budding Artist
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (127322)
Gainesville, Florida
February 8, 2026 11:32am CST
As some of you know, I recently went on a 5-day camping trip in the backwoods of Florida. Yes, we actually have large forests, it's not all just beaches and palm trees! Anyway, most years it is just my son and I, but this year four of his cousins joined us on the trip. One of them, a 15-year old, is a budding artist. He brought his sketchpad with him and throughout each day, as we were sitting around the campfire in the mornings cooking and warming ourselves, he would pull out his sketchpad and start drawing. The attached photo shows his handiwork. Not bad for a teenager, wouldn't you say?
The tents weren't really as close together as the drawing shows, he just squeezed them together so they would fit onto the paper he was doing his sketchwork on. And he shows us all lined up together standing in front of the fire. Most of the time, we were spread out in a circle around the fire, but I like the way he presented the group in his drawing. I'm the one farthest to the left, and next to me is my son, and then all the cousins.
And I didn't know this, but I think it's funny (and relevant) that he wants to work for Disney as an Imagineer. Many of you know how big of a Disney fan I am, but I guess it also runs in the family. lol
Do you have anyone in your family or circle of friends who is an artist, or a budding artist?
11 people like this
11 responses
@LeaPea2417 (39450)
• Toccoa, Georgia
9h
That's a very good sketch. My late Uncle's ex wife was an artist. She mainly sketched and painted animals. Before they divorced, she gave my Mom for Christmas presents three or four of her paintings in nice frames. My Mom still has them to this day.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (127322)
• Gainesville, Florida
4h
That’s awesome that your mom was gifted framed copies, and that she kept them. I’m going to ask if he can make a copy or print of his drawing and sell it to me so I can frame it and hang it up.
@moffittjc (127322)
• Gainesville, Florida
4h
I’m sure it’s every artists dream to work for Disney. But I’m sure it’s really tough for a budding artist to get their foot in the door at Disney.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127322)
• Gainesville, Florida
4h
@AmbiePam That’s where knowing the right people can somehow get your foot in the door.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (129232)
• Marion, Ohio
5h
He is very good. I have a friend who probably could be.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127322)
• Gainesville, Florida
4h
My daughter is pretty good at drawing, but not to the level her cousin sketches. I’ve seen a lot of his other work, and he is exceptionally talented.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (93996)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
5h
I have no family now, I loved drawing and creating as a child and at one point tried to copy the Disney cartoon, However, that was a long time ago, That guy sure has talent,
1 person likes this
@DianneN (248402)
• United States
9h
Wow! I let myself get lost in the picture before I even read your post! It is very, very good with his own style and perspective. David Bronstadt from HGTV got his start at Disney.
My father was an artist. He designed our house and drew tons of pictures including a mural on a large kitchen wall. But he ran his own business. Art was a hobby.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127322)
• Gainesville, Florida
4h
I did the same thing as you when he first sent me a picture of his sketch. I just stared at it and got lost in it. It was like I was right back there in the woods!
1 person likes this
@LooeyVille (37)
• United States
9h
My brother, a professional musician, could also be a professional artist if he wanted to. He's very good.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (127322)
• Gainesville, Florida
9h
My brother is the same way. He is so talented, both musically and artistically. He doesn't know how to read or write music, but he can listen to any song ONE time and play it perfectly on any instrument. He is also extremely gifted in animation. Think Disney PIXAR quality. I asked him once why he didn't submit his work to PIXAR, I was certain he would get hired immediately, but his reply was, "I do this for fun. If PIXAR were to hire me, it would be work, and then it wouldn't be fun anymore." I couldn't argue with his logic.
1 person likes this
@kareng (80075)
• United States
2h
He is a great artist! I hope he keeps it up!
My first cousin that I grew up with was a very talented artist. However, he took the easy money route when he was like 15 and started painting signs for local businesses. He opened a sign shop after graduation and always had plenty of business. I always wished he would do more paintings of scenery and such. But he never did. He ended up going into law enforcement, did a detail on a movie filming (The Toy) and then took off to Hollywood.
@DaddyEvil (167350)
• United States
2h
Pretty draws well when she takes a mind to do it. I have a picture of a rose she drew and colored in with colored pencils framed and hanging in the living room.
I tried to take a picture of it but it didn't turn out well.
Photo is mine.
@JudyEv (371136)
• Rockingham, Australia
3h
What a nice memento to have? How old was the youngest? He doesn't look very old in the drawing. I hope your cousin gets to work for Disney. That would be cool.
@lovebuglena (49045)
• Staten Island, New York
23m
Pretty nice drawing. I certainly wouldn’t be able to do so. My mom can draw and my dad did as well. Maybe because they were engineers back in Belarus that they are good at it.
@Ineeddentures (16778)
•
3h
I sure can relate to the drawing Jeff
I knew a girl who drew the tent about up.
Me and Yvonne were camping and a strange girl just sat sketching the tent and bike about 50 yards from us
It was strange
I fired up a spliff and she came over and asked for a toke
Yvonne is very artistic.
