Tuesday, January 6, 2009

When I grow up......

When I grow up......
acrylic on canvas
24x30"

Lost in her own world of dreams a small girl dances, she dreams of beauty and she dreams of grace, and she dreams of the future - her future. She dreams of when she grows up........

This piece was painted for the "Life" auction to be held at the Bruce Mason Centre on Feb 3rd. As it goes to auction I will be having my head shaved to support the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation of NZ.

Painting this piece was harder than I thought, it began with the idea of a child looking forward at all life has to bring. However as I worked it became for me a chance to look back. I used to be that little girl, although for me my love was horses. I'd "saddle" up the verandah with an old towel and use my dressing gown cord for the reins and I'd ride from dusk til dawn. I did eventually work with horses as a trek guide and stable hand. It was never as I pictured it though, I quickly became restless and disillusioned.

This trip down memory lane didnt end there, I began to dwell on missed opportunity and paths not taken. It took a lot of strength to move past that. I had to focus myself in an incredibly strict fashion, and pull back to the original reason behind the painting.