I have been asked “why art”? Why would I choose to pursue art rather than go on to law school or pursue a Master in Laws, or politics or some other professional/post-graduate degree? Why would I choose to leave what many would consider a dream job and walk away from the corporate ladder to go back to art school? It’s a good question. I have found it easy to forget why I’m doing this especially when I’m in the middle of 4 separate projects all due at the same time and the kids are sick or my husband is working a shift of over-time and then the car breaks down.
I chose to take a job as a seasonal merchandiser of annual plants and vegetables at a local garden centre. I find this job very meditative and pleasant. They pay me about half of what I was making before and it’s a short season. May to July. It’s not without a little stress, it’s often really hard work but it is the best job I have ever had. Every time I go to work I see beautiful things, I care for living things and I get to help people make their yards a little more beautiful. It gives me hope. The other day I was unpacking some New Guinea Impatiens that were exquisite! On the top of a bed of dark green leaves and dark red stalks were these heart shaped, brilliant pink and white blooms that had the most delightful sparkle! As I was admiring the blooms the answer came to me.
Life has thrown me a lot of ugly and I want to find the beautiful. I need to. I don’t want to escape or hide the ugly - trust me I’ve tried and it doesn’t work. I’m on a mission to find and reveal the beauty hidden in the ugly, if it exists. I’d like to think it does, time will tell. Art is also an honest expression of who I am, what I have seen and see and gives me a voice to express what has long been trapped in my head. It’s providing insights into parts of my soul that have never been nurtured and has already revealed parts of myself that I didn’t know were there.
I’d like to share my journey with you. I hope that some of what I share will inspire and motivate you. I will be honest about my doubts and discouragement because I don’t believe I’d be doing anyone, including myself any favours by not acknowledging that life is difficult sometimes, especially when you are in pursuit of something that is outside your comfort zone. I’ve read lots of stories that tell all about the fantastic end result with a touch of “but it wasn’t without some struggles”; well, what are those struggles? How did it feel? What did you do? I have a dream, a fuzzy vision of where I’d like all of this to go; it feels gigantic and out of my league, which is probably true at the moment. I often compare my expedition to driving along a dark country road; the headlights on my car only show me what’s on the road immediately in front of me. In order to see what’s next I have to I keep going forward. I hope you will join me.
I chose to take a job as a seasonal merchandiser of annual plants and vegetables at a local garden centre. I find this job very meditative and pleasant. They pay me about half of what I was making before and it’s a short season. May to July. It’s not without a little stress, it’s often really hard work but it is the best job I have ever had. Every time I go to work I see beautiful things, I care for living things and I get to help people make their yards a little more beautiful. It gives me hope. The other day I was unpacking some New Guinea Impatiens that were exquisite! On the top of a bed of dark green leaves and dark red stalks were these heart shaped, brilliant pink and white blooms that had the most delightful sparkle! As I was admiring the blooms the answer came to me.
Life has thrown me a lot of ugly and I want to find the beautiful. I need to. I don’t want to escape or hide the ugly - trust me I’ve tried and it doesn’t work. I’m on a mission to find and reveal the beauty hidden in the ugly, if it exists. I’d like to think it does, time will tell. Art is also an honest expression of who I am, what I have seen and see and gives me a voice to express what has long been trapped in my head. It’s providing insights into parts of my soul that have never been nurtured and has already revealed parts of myself that I didn’t know were there.
I’d like to share my journey with you. I hope that some of what I share will inspire and motivate you. I will be honest about my doubts and discouragement because I don’t believe I’d be doing anyone, including myself any favours by not acknowledging that life is difficult sometimes, especially when you are in pursuit of something that is outside your comfort zone. I’ve read lots of stories that tell all about the fantastic end result with a touch of “but it wasn’t without some struggles”; well, what are those struggles? How did it feel? What did you do? I have a dream, a fuzzy vision of where I’d like all of this to go; it feels gigantic and out of my league, which is probably true at the moment. I often compare my expedition to driving along a dark country road; the headlights on my car only show me what’s on the road immediately in front of me. In order to see what’s next I have to I keep going forward. I hope you will join me.