Brave Changes

Sometimes we need a little time to become truly brave.  

Finishing Art School was unbelievably anti-climactic. The Galleries, curators nor collectors were not forming an orderly queue. I was not bombarded with requests for commissions nor collaborations.  Reflecting upon this time however I was not ready. Not ready to be called an ‘Artist.’ I truly had nothing to paint about or comment about. Was I burned out at 21? 

Teaching Art for 18 years taught me how to be brave. Taught me about the person I wanted to be, who I wanted to surround myself with and what adventures I should embark upon. In short Teaching reminded me of who I am. The genuine passion I have for teaching and Art allowed me time to heal from Art school. Always in my thoughts – If Mark Rothko could teach for 20 years- why shouldn’t I? So, I did!  

Life allowed me a wide range of love, upheaval, desperate loss and genuine connection to the world. Throughout 2019 and after recovering from pneumonia I began to reflect heavily about how life was water-sliding away. I needed to place my energies inward. I resigned my coveted teaching post and decided to listen to the students who kept repeating over the years “Miss, there are art teachers and there are ART teachers. You are an ART teacher.”  

So, what am I now? Stay at home Mum? Yes, I am. An Artist? I never stopped being one, I just didn’t recognise it. I consistently created throughout my life; I have worked in different studios. I never stopped painting so perhaps I wasn’t burned out, maybe I was just distracted. I don’t want to be distracted anymore. I want to explore further. I want to commit. I want to smile inwardly when someone concernedly asks me if I am going to get a job!  

I am making brave changes.  I am allowing the artistic voice to not only be heard but acted upon. I am an Emerging Artist who left Art school over 20 years ago. It’s about time.