I remember being 12 and wondering what kind of job might let me play with colors, shapes and textures all day. I remember being rejected from art school.
Art remained on the sidelines of my life though I kept creating and exploring in various ways. Oil painting classes, mixed media workshops, colourful beaded jewellery, home decor,.. Color has always been a sweet spot. At 3 years old my wished birthday gift was a bouquet of flowers (and pierced ears). Colors are vibrant, impact on our mood and have various meanings depending on the country you’re in.
My return to painting happened seamlessly, in an apartment in Singapore. 2014. The bedroom walls were painted a shocking pink, and someone had taped a bamboo. After repainting the walls, I peeled off the tape and filled it in with watercolor pencils, soft and colorful. That small gesture opened a door. Next home, I was standing on my bed, painting on the walls, experiencing a sense of naughty kid like freedom.
I picked up a canvas again in the next flat where walls had to remain white, untouched —and that was the real beginning. Since 2016, painting has become my way of recalibrating. After long business-driven days, I would carve out time to paint, even if just 10mins. It wasn’t about creating something perfect; it was about doing something that brought me joy. Exploring, expressing, testing, observing, just for myself, by myself. On the occasional too drained day, I watched short art related videos. I discovered Flora Bowley, an amazing intuitive painter. During lockdown, sunday mornings became virtual painting rituals in her company. With less supplies, a house already full of canvases, layering became more and more predominant. During those restricted months, I also went through Julia Cameroon’s book, the artist’s way.
When I moved continent, I went back to basics. Color mixing using primaries only, a way to keep exploring while on the road. It’s so much fun. I also reconnected with seasons, living at a different rhythm, different conditions, various deeply lived emotions. Painting and dancing remain my favorite therapies, along with gardening, watching cloud, being by water, laughing, in observation and admiration of the beauty around us.
Art is part of everyone’s life. Creating is giving yourself permission to make something without expectations. Painting is my chosen medium for it’s colorful open expression.
After, and before below.
