Sunday, October 26, 2008

Today I will tell a story...

Cheshire cat



About how the Cheshire Cat learned to play the piano, and how I almost quit painting and an Internet miracle to top it off.



About 2 years ago I was going through some kind of quarter-life-crisis (if there is a thing like that, I think there has to be) and all kinds of crazy ideas about changing my career were passing by.
I was a stay at home Mom with a mediocre BS in Fine Art, I was painting for myself , but there was no way I could see this turning into a more or less serious occupation. My husband kept telling me that I should find some artistic group to hang out with, but it was very hard with a cranky 2 year old boy on hands all the time. So I turned to the Internet, once again. It has never failed me before:) It did not fail this time either. I found a site that had open gallery for Artists , just to show off the works and to leave comments. Started posting, getting feedback, and all of a sudden I felt that I am doing SOMETHING and people are seeing it. For all of you Artistic folk, you know how important that is! To know that your work is seen:) And then I joined a Mommy forum to talk about good kiddy books and organic diapers and ways to reward and punish your little bundle of joy/frustration...And then Julia came along:)
And not only did she come along, she started buying my works. She was my first serious collector, and eventually became a dear friend of mine. Julia had the most amazing ideas for custom pieces, and they sort of clicked with me. A Cheshire cat playing the piano?! Perfect, I can already see him. A family walking their cat in Central Park at night? OOOO...delicious:) And I would instantly get the picture in my head. She has excellent imagination and a very harmonious sense of color, which you can see the best in her knitted works. Here is my daughter Anna wearing of them and loving it:) And I must tell you she is a very picky girly girl (have no idea where she gets it from!)

This is how I see Julia :)) Actually this is a combination of how I see her and how she sees herself



To make a long story short, I did not become a nurse, or radiologist, or X ray technician. And the idea that I could seems ridiculous today, but I was seriously considering it;) Luckily for the unsuspecting future patients of mine, I think I am much better off with a paint brush in my hand
P.S. And for the grand finale an exclusive showing of a couple of pages in a book I did as a gift for Julia's son , the-always-beautifully-smiling little Gabi

9 comments:

June Shin said...

I'm about to go to sleep, so that was a great bedtime story.tt

Michelle said...

That's a wonerful story, Vita. :-)

Oh yes, I remember having a mid-quarter life crisis too, only back then I never had internet and yes - the internet is a wonderful miracle, isn't it? My internet friends have brought me through so many things and kept me sane.

For me it's been mostly getting back into writing, but lately I keep bumping into art again. I was a mediocre art student too. I went from Art school to being a librarian in my 20s. The library was nice actually, I don't regret that, but I did walk away from writing for way too long. Painting I get frustrated, but with words I feel like I'm weaving magic.

Thank you for sharing your story. :-)

Jennifer Rose said...

very nice story :D there has to be a quarter life crisis. I'm having one now, a few years late though :p

lil kim said...

your art is beautiful - I think you have made a good decision! Going to look at your etsy shop now.

Rima Staines said...

A wonderful tale Vita!!
I am very glad you kept painting.. you are right that it is so important to SHOW your work. a real hurdle for artists who are a little shy :)
And yes the amazing internet.. I'm glad that it brought your work to me :) indeed ..

TERI REES WANG said...

Thank you for sharing, for being open and honest. Yes those quarter-life-crisis moments do creep up on some of us, and thank goodness, you made the right move. You have got to be true to You.
Be well. Do good. All ways.

Vita said...

Thank you all for such wonderful words!

It is a very simple thing, but it is true--"Follow your bliss!" The older I get, the more I believe this.

Christina Silverio said...

On a day when I'm feeling very very sad and am truly questioning myself, I really needed this. Wonderful story; thank you so much for sharing Vita. And as always your art is such a joy to look at. :)

Natalya Khorover Aikens said...

great story, glad you stuck to your art! it's beautiful...

 

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