A little while ago I was contemplating my working life. It was time for me to re-enter the workforce after raising my two amazing young people. Would I retrain or would I turn my love of painting into a full time business? So many thoughts ran through my head as I sat and contemplated the sky.
Anytime I have a lot on my mind I find myself seeking the outdoors. A clear blue sky stretched out in front of me and I watched as a Whistling Kite flew on the thermals, swirling higher and higher into the impossible blue. The air had that bite of freshness that lingers with early spring and the clarity of the view had an infinite quality to it that I could hardly describe.
And that’s when I knew. Art gives me a way of expressing these moments – feeling at peace and knowing that I am a minuscule part of the natural world and yet completely connected to it nonetheless. Feelings that are sometimes difficult to put into words but I can pour into a painting, striving to share a little of that peace and connectedness with others.
A few years on from that afternoon, which still stands out so vividly in my mind, and I’m so very glad I listened to my heart. I continue to work on my craft and I’ve begun teaching art which is a joy – sharing my passion for creativity with young people is as rewarding for me as I hope it is for my students too.