Do you understand what inspires you? What are your unique passions and preoccupations? Why do we each have our own? Take me, for example, I know that to be true to myself and live wholeheartedly I need to create art that celebrates my connection with nature. But how did I come to be like this?
I believe that we answer this question by looking beneath the surface and asking ourselves what roots anchor us, connecting us with the source of our unique personal power.
Your true self is like a solid tree trunk, firmly anchored by its roots in soil fertile to nourish you. The branches are the multiple faces you wear, that comprise your rich self; the leaves are your shifting feelings and thoughts, responding to your environment and conditions.
To stay strong, to grow and thrive, you need to care for and protect your roots, honouring them as your lifeline to an authentic life. They delve deeply within the layers of your family, culture and land, allowing you to ground yourself in values, beliefs, language and behaviours.
It was when I learned to acknowledge the rich tapestry of my heritage - all I had grown up with, the roots that sustained me, gave me life, - that I began to understand my own direction.
So if you ever feel like a tree uprooted, disconnected as though drifting in shapeless uncertainty, become a master gardener - feed and nurture yourself, from the roots up.
Afternoon Blaze, Oil on Board, 50cm diameter, Sold
A new year and a new body of work… following a compass into to the unknown