Tuesday 26 March 2013


"Better to have a little bit of something precious, 
than to have a lot of mediocrity."




I just wrote a fairly long essay, and then deleted it. Enough monologues. Its just self-indulgent ranting.
But I will say this:
Few things scare me as much as people who don't have a passion. And it seems to me that people who work towards their (sometimes impossible) goals, tend to be harder workers. 
I've recently been forced to work with that kind of person, and I don't know how to approach them at all.. you aren't allowed to challenge the way they work, as they are insecure and therefore terribly touchy, but if you sympathise they go into self-pity and they moan about the things they'll never own and never see. I don't know why people are like that, if it's a personality thing, or of they were raised that way, but either way it does them no good.

I cling to art, not only because it is my talent, and one of my first loves, it is my job and my hobby, but it is also the thing that keeps me moving forward. I have so many things left to learn, so much to achieve, my short term goals can fill a notebook, and the long term goals, well who knows if I'll ever even get there. Does it even matter? I want to be able to look back and be proud of how far I came, and be proud of how hard I worked at it. Without blaming the economy, my background, education, nationality or race. And the rest becomes part of that goal, the role my husband plays, my support system, everything else inevitably becomes part of the plot.
The reason why I say it doesn't matter whether I reach the long term goals, is because the journey is the destination - enjoying the ups, laughing after the downs, and in the end, after a terrible day sitting down in front of the easel, and feeling that serenity wash over you.


Selfportrait with Marbles SOLD
Acrylic on Canvas
50 x 90 cm
I completed this painting October '12. It was an exercise in reflection and colour, I ended up painting 53 marbles - reflections of marbles in marbles included - and 7 reflections of myself. I worked hard at it, and loved the end result enough that I hoped it wouldn't sell, as it looked great on my own wall!

It's nice to be able to be righteously proud of how far you've come. 
I have a little bit of something precious, and I am thankful.

3 comments:

  1. Well said and the marble painting is fantastic.

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  2. Your artwork is dazzling. You have a great understanding of colors and light, so with that said, you can probably paint anything.
    To answer existential questions about others is a mind boggling concept. Just know that we are all on our own personal journeys with things to learn along the way. Lessons will be repeated until learned...and learning never ends.

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    Replies
    1. Alvin, how wonderful to get an unexpected comment from an artist who I've been following for a while! I absolutely love your work, the glass jars and marbles speak to me, and it's great to get a complement on colour and light from someone as accomplished as yourself!

      Suffice it to say, you've definitely made my day.

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