Marriage Exposes the Artist at Last

It did not take long before Tom’s new wife became the major influ- ence that would finally lead him into the art world as a professional. Although Tom had never even told his first girlfriend, Consuela Dare, of his love for art, he trusted Dorothy immensely. Dorothy led him to a new world of openness and pride, and he felt comfortable enough to share all his interests and talents more easily than ever before. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off Tom’s chest and he could finally let his personal truth fly free. “I told her I had always wanted to be an artist,” Tom states matter-of-factly.

Dorothy’s deep understanding of Tom soon led her to insist that he start exploring his hidden passion further. In Dorothy, Tom found someone who believed in him enough to respect his diverse, colorful interests in life. Tom had finally found a soul mate to help his secret dream of artistry come true. One of the reasons Dorothy encouraged Tom’s art was because she was taken by surprise upon seeing the rapid growth of Tom’s hobby after their marriage. Tom had become obsessed with painting in his spare time now that he felt comfortable revealing his art projects around the house. While Tom kept his factory job and remained an active public servant, he painted furiously from then on.