[dropcap]Oh[/dropcap] hi! A belated happy new year (and happy Australia day) to you all. A new year unfolds and again, new and old dreams and ambitions/goals appear. And hope too. As well as the worries and often harsh realities of life and living.
A new year means a year older. And with age and time, we gain new knowledge, wisdom and insight from our past/life experiences which we can learn from. Well, that’s how it’s meant to be. But we’re all different and sometimes things don’t always go to plan.
A new year is a good time to reflect – about the good, the bad and simply the truth. Age and aging is one of them. It’s an inevitable and ultimate truth of life that we’re all subject to – including our parents.
We visited my parents on the holidays. Because of our distance and time apart, when I see them it’s often a happy/sad occasion. Happy to see, be and converse with them. But sad to see and know how much they’ve aged and how old they really are.
This time around, it seems their old age is even more evident and real. Their minds are still sharp and their zest for life is still strong. However, their physical being and health shows the consequence and weather of age and time. They continue to be as active as possible but they have less energy.
I remember how my parents used to look when they were younger – in some of the old photos of them. I realized that I’ve now lived some of the same ages as them in some of those photos. It’s strange to know how different my life is to theirs when they were my age now.
Seeing my parents (and siblings) over the holidays was a blessing. Blood is thicker than water and despite our differences and distance/time apart – we have a divine connection and there’s a sublime feeling when we see each other. They’re people who share the same flesh, blood and spirit as I do, who grew up in the same house, and who know me very well.
Seeing my parents and how old they are was also a reality check and wake up call. It made me realize just how old I actually am. Time goes by too quickly and while I sometimes feel and think that I’m still young and youthful, the reality is that I’m not. I’ve reached middle age and it’s time to seriously think about many things.
I need to work harder and have more direction and focus in my life. I need to be more responsible and think less about myself and more of others – in particular, my parents and my partner. I need to be more thoughtful, grateful and respectful of them. I also need to think about the future and the big picture of life. I need to decide what I want in life, stick with it and make it happen.
I took some photos of my parents with the plan of painting them. At the time, mum gave me some encouraging words. The family knows how much I enjoy art and that I want a career in it. So, this year I want to focus on my art and be more productive and prolific – for myself and for them. I’ve had the privilege and pleasure to live my life as I chose and I’m going to prove that it was not in vain. This year, I’m going to make art making my priority.
[dropcap]On[/dropcap] a lighter note, I was gifted a portable typewriter by my dad. I look forward to using it to become a better writer. I can already see myself using it, wearing my wide brim hat in the shade at the beach, if weather permits and as long as I can bear it. Or at home in the late hours of the night noisily typing/clicking away as I try hard to string sentences and paragraphs together without the liberty of editing (cut and paste) that laptops have. Fun times ahead. Thank you dad!
I should add that I do enjoy writing. I find it helps with my communication and the focusing of my thoughts and ordering of my words, albeit slightly and subjectively. By continuing to update this blog, I believe it helps keep me focused and motivated on my art. It’s also a good way to document my journey and research. At the same time, it helps explain what my artworks are about. My goal this year is to work harder and faster (and without much error) both as a painter and writer.
My new year’s resolution is to create more artworks, in particular oil paintings (and of course, be more fit and healthy). My goal is to complete 2 new paintings every month. Perhaps one, hopefully more. I want to paint as many paintings as I can without compromising the quality or my personal approval/satisfaction of them. A sale or more of paintings would be icing on the cake! Hint, hint. smile
I took a plethora of photos over the holidays, from when we were at home in Albury to when we were driving and camping in Victoria. I look forward to using some of them as reference and inspiration for new paintings this year.
I recently started a new painting. It’s actually a preliminary sketch on canvas at the moment. It’s a floral – of a Formosa Lily, worked from a photo that I took last year. I have many painting ideas for this year – the problem is completing them. I’ll also be painting new Eggland Mandalas. Truth be told, some of them will be old Eggland Mandala canvases that I’ve scraped and cleaned with turps (because I was not happy with them) and reused to paint new ones. And of course, I’ll be working hard on completing the portraits of mum and dad. As well as other portraits too.
On that note, I better get to it. Who would have thought that I could/would pursue a career in art and live life as an artist? I know it will be a difficult and challenging one but I can try and stay optimistic. I’d never know if I don’t give it a go. And who knows, perhaps I’ll be good at it and become successful too.
All the best for this year everyone! I hope it’s a very happy and productive one for you. If anything, I hope this post reminds you just how important your parents and family are and to be more thoughtful of them. Remember to treat them well always (especially your parents), and to show them much love often. Sometimes, a quick phone call or visit is all that it takes to make them happy. Until next time, be good and have trust in god/divinity. 🙏
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