Who does she think she is to spend so much time painting, acting, sculpting, filming, writing?

Who does she think she is to put herself first?

Do these questions make you cringe as they did many of the women in the audience as we viewed Pamela Tanner Boll's documentary Who Does She Think She Is? To realize that people still ask them makes my heart ache. In the film, five women - all artists and mothers - invite us into their lives as they do what is right for them.

What struck me was how hard it can be to stay on one's true path, just like it has been for these artists who refuse to choose only to be a mother or only to be an artist. Let's be clear, though. This is a struggle any woman who fulfills other family roles must face when she takes time to pursue her quest.

Camille's quest to pursue painting began in earnest when she decided to celebrate turning 50 with her first solo exhibition in St. Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG), where she was born. Along the way another quest entwined itself with her art. Using proceeds from the sale of her paintings, she founded Youlou Arts Foundation. Now in its ninth year, the summer visual arts program has given children the chance to discover art, which has given Camille a  firm belief in herself. I first came to know of Camille from Pamela Tanner Boll's documentary, Who Does She Think She Is?. [Click here to see the theatrical trailer.] You'll find Information on how you can see the documentary in this month's Journal Sparker].

At what point in your life did you decide to embark on your quest?
It's like I have two quests that are entwined, one is pursuing my painting and the other is the Youlou Arts Foundation. My quest to be a professional painter started earlier than Youlou Arts. When we lived in Costa Rica, I started painting. Even though people told me not to worry because I was painting from my heart, it upset me that I had not had an art education on St. Vincent, where I grew up.  When my family moved to Cambridge, Mass. in 1995, I attended painting classes at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. I thought to myself: "Yes, this is something I really like!" I've always enjoyed needlework, sewing, quilting, embroidery but it was not ever seen as being professional. It was seen as what women do in their spare time.

When I was about 48, I read a magazine article about a famous designer who had decided to perform a piano concert for her friends and family to celebrate turning 50. I thought what a great way to celebrate. I had been painting for about 3-4 years so I decided to hold my first solo exhibition on my 50th birthday for friends and family on St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). My goal was to show 30 paintings and I pursued my painting in earnest at the end of 1998 and early 1999. In the end I took 23 paintings with me to the island. There I exhibited them in the lobby of the telephone company where everyone came to pay their bills. The show was a success. I sold two paintings then and another back in Cambridge where I live. The compliments about my work and selling my paintings were amazing things for me. I thought who would want to buy my work?

I wanted to donate the proceeds from the sale of my paintings to the SVG government to give to the local crafts people. Since SVG schools still don't offer art classes during the school year, I thought why not create a visual arts program for children instead. In 2000 I launched Youlou Arts. Youlou is a name that the indigenous people called the island in pre-Columbian times according to the missionaries. The word seems to have something to do with rainbows because just about everyday there are big beautiful rainbows on the island.