b'God-Given TalentI was very fortunate to be invited to participate in some of the top art festivals in the country, he said. It was at one of those festivals that Reed met his mentor, Sidney Carter, an artist from Powder Life requires changeSprings, Georgia, who has painted professionally for more than 27 years and is known for his free and and adjustments.vibrant use of color.As an artist, I amHe was selling art like crazy and was busy the whole time, so I thought he must be doing blessed to capturesomething right, Reed said. the moments of lifeReed said Carter taught him the basics of the that I experience. art industry, how to participate in art shows, and different painting techniques.One thing I learned in college was that you dontAaron Reed get smart by continuing to fail, he explained. You need to be around someone smarter than you so you can learn.Going through the economic downturn of 2008, Reed continued to paint and share his artwork with his colleagues, friends, and community. He realized that if he could be successful in a bad economy, imagine 20 Langdale College of Business'