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Painting the Childhood Dream

A personal look at my journey from suppressing those childhood dreams to finally finding my way back home to them. It's about what it feels like to look at those same monsters today, but this time with a paintbrush in hand.

David Warner

7/8/20262 min read

When I was a kid, I dreamed of monsters and the heroes who could slay them. I dreamed of fantastical creatures, miraculous conquests, and epic adventures. At first, I did what most kids do: I placed myself right in the middle of all those fantasies.

As I grew up, I tried to express these worlds however I could. I wrote, sketched, built models, and even marched action figures across my bedroom floor until I was far older than what society considers "acceptable."

(As a side note: a few of you have asked why I admit embarrassing things like that, and I don’t really have a grand answer. The best I can say is that it’s true. While we may never meet in person, you have chosen to follow my journey, and I respect you too much to show you anyone but my true self.)

Over time, I tried to suppress those creative urges to focus on the "real world" and the business of becoming an adult. If you have a choice, I don’t recommend this. Never grow up any more than you absolutely have to. Still, I moved forward—I got a job, got married, and started a family. I was creating less and less, but I never stopped dreaming.

Years later, I found myself heading to college and facing the choice of a major. For a variety of reasons, my options were limited, and graphic design happened to be one of them. Immediately, that creative little goblin in the back of my head started scurrying around, throwing out wild ideas. While I never ended up working as a graphic artist, that degree got me back on track in a handful of major ways—including introducing me to some amazing friends who pushed me back toward fine art.

I started experimenting. I leaned into my analytical side to translate the patterns I saw around me, developed my own techniques, and finally found my style.

It’s been years since that massive shift, and I’ve become so much more comfortable in my own creative skin. I am finally, truly painting the magic I used to dream of as a child. It is honestly incredible to look back and see just how far I’ve come, only to find myself right back where I started—gazing at monsters and magic, but this time with a paintbrush in hand.

Never give up on your dreams. It’s okay if you have to set them aside for a while to build your life. If the passion is real, you will always find your way back home to it.