artist on the inside

Every day the kids come home from school waving a new creation in their hand, or crushed in their backpack. our front door, refrigerator, and their bedroom walls are covered in drawings and painting. They can be so free and confident. at what age do you decide that if you aren't a professional artist, then it's time to put the paints away?

Hobbies, crafts, maybe you can slip by...
working for an architect, drawing floor plans, that was useful but not exactly artistic. My drawings tend to stay neatly tucked away in my sketchbook safe from criticism. I've done a couple for family as gifts. and i donated one to a church auction, and sweated over it, wondering it would even sell. I don't even have any hanging in my own home.

Our church is doing an art show, along with the annual ladies dinner, and I'm displaying a photograh, a few scrapbook pages, and if i can keep my courage up, a couple drawings.The photograph feels safe, less personal, and lots of people scrapbook now with the purpose of documenting their memories. But a drawing is all me. I'm so nervous about it. putting myself out there, saying i think I'm good at this....last night when i was helping set up, i noticed one of the other women had made business cards taking herself to the level of professional. i hadn't thought of that.

I've lurking around Etsy (sort of an eBay for handmade items), wondering i could actually make money doing this. Would it hurt too much if i didn't? it's one thing to call it a hobby, but do i have the courage to actually call myself an artist? There are 13 tables at the art show. it will be interesting to see what other hidden talents are out there. these gifts and talents that we enjoy, but see no worldly value in. What is God's calling for these things in our lives?