Sounds like you already know what to do now. And we can be your cheering section.

Learn from history:

Soviet leaders generally doubted the CCP's ability to win. In spite
of the fact that the GMD insistently took a pro-American stand as the
Cold War intensified, the Soviet Union remained neutral in the CCP-GMD
conflict. Stalin even pressured the CCP to compromise with the GMD, and
Soviet media kept a strange silence as CCP forces won a series of
crucial military victories. Gordon Chang, Friends and Enemies: The
United States, China, and the Soviet Union, 1948-1972, Stanford
University Press, 1990, 28. Several Chinese sources point out that in early
1949, Stalin advised Mao and the CCP leadership not to cross the Yangzi
River to avert triggering a direct Soviet-American confrontation.

For many of us, we are facing the same issue: cross river.

Indirect route for me too
 

Reading through these posts has made me realize that my route to art has not been so unusual. I loved drawing and painting since I was a small child. When it came time to go to college, I chose the University of Texas and to please myself and my parents, chose classes to become a medical illustrator. That way, I could take drawing classes and then apply that along with biology with a plan for an actual paying job. (That was the plan.)

After one semester as an art/biology major I decided that wasn't for me. Too much memorizing in biology. And my art teachers . . . I would spend 4 hours on a pencil drawing and get a 'C' for a grade. One day I didn't do my homework assignment so right before class started, I knelt down and draw 3 black lines on my pad of drawing paper. One very thick line horizontally and two thinner lines at each end vertically. That particular teacher kept me after class to discuss the 'meaning' of my art. That was it for me! I couldn't take any more of that, though I did make up some story about the meaning of that drawing and got an 'A' for it.

I decided art was too subjective so I went into engineering where the harder you worked, the better grade you got. Plus, no memorizing, with all that math I could figure out the answer by calculating the answer. I eventually graduated with a petroleum engineering degree and went to work for Shell as an engineer.

After 4 years of that, and I was not happy as an engineer after the initial year of the 'newness' of the job wore off, I went back to school and took some illustration and marketing courses. My sweet grandmother supported me for a year and enabled me to do that.

I worked for a graphic design company for a couple of years then started freelancing graphic design. Got married, had 2 kids and 10 years later became interested in portraiture. My husband, who works for Shell (met him when I was an engineer - an office romance that turned out very well!) was transferred to Holland for 2 years and I was lucky enough to be able to take classes from a wonderful Dutch portrait artist. I also took some other classes in Holland from an art college and other smaller groups. It was worth it to fight the wind and rain and cold to make it to those classes, I now realize.

Now that we are back in Houston I have exhausted portraiture classes and now look entirely to this forum for any help. And I'm saving for some workshops, though my husband would love to see some 'income' from my attempts before I go off to a workshop!

So, that is my circuitous route back to art. Mary, I'm with you, I will not do this to my children. I'll support whatever they want to do from the start (within reason, ha!).

Joan

Stalin didn't believe CCP would win.
He apologized.

First, to the surprise and satisfaction of Liu and his
comrades, Stalin apologized for failing to give sufficient assistance to the
CCP during the civil war. According to Shi Zhe's recollection, Stalin
asked Liu in the second meeting: "Have we disturbed you [in China's civil
war]?" Liu replied: "No!" Stalin answered: "Yes, we have been in the
way of hindrance to you because our knowledge about China is too
limited."

Your friend, (oh, is he)? may not apologize, because:
He still doesn't know your potential.
Or, he is egocentric.

This might sound weird, but I

When I was growing up I was interested in both writing and art as careers. Whether it was because of subtle influences from my family or my own practicality, I decided that neither could ensure me a steady paycheck if I needed one - and I doubt if it was because of my parents since my mother never worked. So I chose first French (same objection) and then psychology as my major in college, went on for a Master's degree, and spent my professional career working mostly with children in various settings. I found my jobs interesting and stimulating and am glad I spent my time that way, but am now equally happy to be able to turn my attention to art as a second career. I had no formal training but occasionally take workshops; I read magazines and also interact with other artists online and in our community. Talking to other artists, for me, is the best way to keep my mind and techniques sharp and be aware of new ideas and opportunities. I don't know how well that would work for others but for me it's been fine. My art income is a nice supplement, although it wouldn't be sufficient to feed and clothe us, and I also have a waiting list, so I'm happy.

My family encouraged me, but they wanted me to go into teaching. They wouldn't pay for an art college, but that's what I wanted and I managed to get a full scholarship so they allowed it. The weirdest thing about my undergraduate education (this was a long time ago, but it still disturbs me) was that I was totally ignored by some male professors. They wouldn't critique my work. One told me it was a waste of his time since I was just going to get married and have babies. It was almost impossible for a female to be regarded seriously unless she acquired a well-known mentor.

I kept my studio alive, barely, and made money with other jobs. I learned to be content painting for myself.

After a life filled with the usual ~ craziness, love, and hard knocks ~ I decided to continue my art education. There are a lot of MFA programs out there today, but the top programs are expensive and harder to get into than Harvard Business school which accepts 10% of applicants. Highly rated MFA programs accept less than 7% of applicants, sometimes less than 4%. The whole enchilada was a revelation to me.

I wasn't accepted at first, it took two tries. I attended Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and found every kind of art is respected and figurative art is encouraged.

I feel it doesn't diminish portrait artists to learn that abstract expressionism was a response to the horrors of WWII, or surrealism began as a mining of the unconscious, or to become familiar with modern conceptual portraiture. Art is my love, so I want to know as much as possible. I consider painting similar to any other profession out there, having an evolving history, a specialized vocabulary, and an increasingly technical basis. I wouldn't begin to think I could understand physics without a knowledge of basic math, and art today, including some portraiture, has reached a similar level of complexity.

Now, is all that required to paint a wonderful painting/portrait? No.

Is it better to go the academic route than specialized portrait courses? I think it is just a different path to an end. We are artists because we engage in the practice of art. As we practice art, we learn what we need and where to obtain it.

Now, has it helped me ? Yes, being part of that community was/is wonderful. I try to maintain contact with many of the artists I met at school and we share information about exhibiting opportunities and commissions.

An artist follows his/her interests to continue to grow. I will try to share here - and, in turn, learn from you - the excellent portraitists who followed their own paths. It feels like completing a circle.