Have you ever wondered if you were born to be something specific?
For me, the idea of being an artist has always lingered in the back of my mind. Creating and exploring the unknown have been passions of mine since I can remember. However, unlike some people who know from a young age what they want to be, I wasn't one of them.
I believe this is partly due to the schooling system, which often silences the artist within us. In school, we're taught to follow authority, take good notes, and repeat what we've learned to the teacher. This approach hardly encourages creativity. My mom always gave me the freedom to choose my path, the only thing she ever wanted for me was to be happy. Whenever I asked her what I should do, she would reply, "It doesn't matter as long as you are happy."
Fast forward to the year I got married and took a year off work. This sabbatical wasn't by choice but due to the long delays in every part of the emigration process caused by the pandemic. During this time, I returned to painting. I learned to sew, make sourdough bread, and tried various DIY projects from Pinterest. I made things just for the joy of it and discovered how much I enjoyed working with my hands. Creating art had a meditative effect on me, making me more self-aware and happier.
Life has a way of working itself out, and I believe everything happens for a reason, including the people we meet. One day, while searching for a hairstylist on Instagram (pandemic hair was not a good look), I stumbled across a post calling for artists to display their work at a local hair salon. I thought to myself, "Hmm, I wonder if they would have me." I emailed Patricia, the owner of Venue Salon, and we met. Three months later, I installed ten artworks at the salon.
At this point I started an Instagram account and got creative with my posts. I'll never forget how I felt when Patricia messaged me saying, "Please bring more art." My art was selling! It felt like a dream. Things escalated quickly from that point. People began reaching out on Instagram, wanting to buy my artwork. By the end of 2021, I had sold over 20 pieces and completed my first large, commissioned artwork.
This is not the end of my story. In fact, it's just the beginning.
Leaning into my passion for art has been a transformative journey, and I can't wait to see where it leads next.
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