"In kindergarten, I misunderstood a coloring assignment where you had to color the matching butterflies the same color (so the butterflies with square wings were both blue, circle both red, etc) and I just colored the butterflies however I wanted.
I showed my finished work to the substitute for the class, who was also the school principal. When she saw how much I messed up, she ripped it up in front of me and yelled about how I did the assignment wrong.
That made such a huge difference!
Since then, I’ve typically been a ‘to-the-books’ worker who is afraid of trying a new technique or method even if it would be better. I’ve also been a perfectionist, and I was clinically diagnosed with OCD for a while after that event.
I just find the story funny now because I just finished my freshman year at the Kansas City Art Institute. I’m well on my way to becoming a professional artist, but I think because of the principal, I take assignments ‘too’ literally.”