Art in Hiding


While I spend these days uncovering the residents of each closet and cabinet in every room, I found my paintings.  Finished and unfinished.  There are lots of unfinished canvas waiting to be noticed and yearning to be completed.  
It was painful to see them. You see, I stopped painting. It was only yesterday during a conversation with a good friend that I opened this up. 

I was supposed to commission a huge artwork, a 150 x 200 cm canvas for a lobby of a known, international luxury brand. It was agreed, so I bought the materials until I was told at the last minute that they made a unanimous decision that a known artist should create the masterpiece for them instead.

I find it really hard to paint since.  I tried going back, in bits and pieces, and then life happened, motherhood happened and my small workspace has been converted to a nursery. 

This de-cluttering and moving are literally therapeutic. I had to answer the question, "What will I do with them?"  My art materials, my easel..honestly, I can't bring myself to let them go. I then mustered the courage to start selling some of my work. I started posting them on Facebook and part of the sale will be donated to an orphanage in Coron. 

Looking back, I'm thankful it worked out differently because that simple rejection opened up a lot that led to a better change in me. 

The final decision, I'm keeping my tools and brushes and easel. If I were to paint, my goal is to help sponsor a child for any sale that  I make in my artworks.

Update 2018:  I finally finished the 150 cm x 200 cm canvas while I was in the Philippines.  Here it is, the huge one on the left.  I am definitely pleased the I kept my art tools. 

The Golden Child


Love & light,
Arni

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8 comments

  1. those paintings are really well done, Arni

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  2. I love how it ended up for you too. And beautiful paintings, Arni. Super talented!

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  3. I think it is a good decision to keep your brushes and paints. Life is random at its best and just like you stopped painting all of a sudden, sad and hurt, you might start all over again when you find the time is right. Which could be any time soon with your life changing so much these days.

    It is important to face and learn from failure but given the circumstances of your story I wouldn't consider it a failure. Your paintings are beautiful and they only rejected an unknown name.

    Hope you're doing good with all the packing for your big move :)

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  4. I think you're really talented! It's too bad your artwork wasn't used!

    Definitely keep your paintbrushes. Have you ever thought of illustrating a children's book? You might enjoy that.

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  5. You're amazingly talented! Thank you for sharing that story, it was quite powerful to read. It's interesting how something we love or used to love is not the same joy down the line, but that doesn't mean we won't find out way back to it. I think it's a great idea to keep all your tools and just have them there if and when the mood strikes :)

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  6. I'm just back from Dubai and catching up on your posts. I see that you are getting organised ready for the big move, to France first. I shall certainly enjoy following your adventures in this amazing country. Your artwork is so good and you have a real talent. A great idea to sponsor a child with the proceeds.
    Wishing you and your family a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. I hope that you can now move forward and put the difficult times behind you.

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  7. Art is always such a personal journey. It's lovely to hear that things worked out for you in the end. I think that it's courageous for your to not throw away your work, especially since you're so talented!

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  8. I feel like I've missed out on such a huge part of you - why did I not know you were an artist? Please feature more pieces if you can. I'd love to see them

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