In a world where only 1 percent of the population is ambidextrous, Colin Darke has discovered an incredibly cool niche as an artist.
Videos by InspireMore
Like his mother before him and his youngest son, Colin is able to do any task with either of his hands – with total ease! When it comes to creating art, his favorite way to do so is with both hands at the same time. As rare as this talent is, he didn’t start appreciating his gift until a couple years ago.
Although he grew up with the goal of becoming a lawyer, Colin always made time for his creative passion. That is, he did until his workload from law school started to take over his life. In his first semester, he only managed to create four pieces of art, which was a dramatic decrease for him at the time.
“I create so much art and it’s always such a meaningful part of my life that that kind of upset me,” he said. “So then I just kind of told myself, ‘You have to at least draw every day just so that you’re honoring this desire to draw and create that you have.'”
He told himself that he would start drawing every day – and actually followed through! Making time for his art was life-changing, and it led to all kinds of wonderful opportunities within the art world. But Colin’s work really took off once he started posting videos of himself drawing in his truly one-of-a-kind way.
His first push into social media was the Gary Vee Challenge, which encouraged people from all backgrounds to start posting content regularly through tons of tips and advice.
Not only did this give Colin the knowledge and the confidence to share more of his art online, but he also received “Best in Class” for the challenge.
“I learned I was somewhat of an art snob initially which I didn’t think I was,” he said. “I didn’t appreciate that I was censoring myself until I opened myself up more, and then I didn’t appreciate that putting myself out there for others would be so rewarding.”
He didn’t realize how much his art could mean to total strangers, but once his videos went viral, he was flooded with comments from people around the world who felt moved by his work. He also discovered that his art was inspiring others to make time for their own creative pursuits!
Wanting to use his newfound following for good, he began sharing writing tips through his various social media platforms. On his website, where you can view and purchase his work along with art-related products, he has shifted his focus to growing his platform to raise money for local art programs, starting with the nonprofit Arts & Scraps in Detroit.
“Don’t try to project this different person or this person how you think the world should view you,” Colin said. “If you have fun doing something and you bring joy to others then you should lean in on that.”
Don’t forget to share this article with a friend to encourage them to chase their passions in life.
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