When I was growing up, I was taught that . . . Trees are Green Roses are Red Sky is Blue Barns are Red Clouds are White Flowers are Yellow Violets are Blue My crayon and marker drawings stayed true, until my parents enrolled me in a two week summer painting class. Our teacher (bless his heart) was very traditional and always said "like so" after every instruction. Apparently, I was the rebellious child and he saw it as his duty to curve my unruly artistic ways. "Barns are not green ." He emphasized the last word as he studied my masterpiece. Our assignment had been to copy his painting. The rest of the class had done just that—and to them he gave praise. But as I was dutifully coping his painting, I decided that a red barn would blend in with the burnt umber treeline. And so, mine was green. It was my first artistic rebellion, but it was most certainly not my last. Trees are Whimsical Roses are Elegent Sky is my Backdrop Barns Protect