On a warm summer
morning in 1745, Benjamin’s mother and older sister went out to the
garden for flowers. Six-year-old Benjamin was left to watch his newborn
niece and to keep flies away from her as she slept.
Benjamin forgot about swatting flies, however. He was so
intrigued by the little girl’s expression that he retrieved his father’s
ink and drew a childish portrait of her sleeping grin.
When his mother returned, Benjamin sheepishly hid the
picture, fearing he had been naughty. Upon finding the picture,
however, his mother praised her fine little artist. Thus young Benjamin
continued to draw.
The Generosity of a Neighbor’s Advice
Benjamin was still drawing a year later, thanks to his mothers’ frequent
encouragement. He decided to show home of his wildlife drawings to a
group of Native Americans who lived nearby. Impressed with the boy’s
talent, they showed him how they made paints for their various
ornaments.
Thus equipped with the secret of making colors, Benjamin
began to experiment with color paintings. 
The Generosity of a Relative’s Provision
A year
later, 8-year-old Benjamin showed his primitive paintings to Mr.
Pennington, a relative visiting from Philadelphia. Pennington
congratulated young Benjamin on his work and, seeing the seriousness of
the child’s interest, determined to encourage the pursuit.
Upon his return to Philadelphia, Mr. Pennington purchased a
box of paints and six professional engravings. These he shipped to
Benjamin. So pleased was the young boy with this gift that he kept the
paint box by his bed and hugged it when he awoke at night.
Copying from the engravings, Benjamin made his first of many
paintings with his new professional paints.
The pursuit that had been
encouraged by the generosity of a mother, a group of neighbors, and a
relative all propelled Benjamin West into a career of great importance
for himself and for the fledgling American nation.
Article courtesy of Character First.
