This past weekend I exhibited at the One of a Kind Show where I formally introduced my collection of leggings, skirts and scarfs to the market. I brought with me two paintings to outfit my booth, to show my fans my process, "from my canvas to their closet" as my slogan says.
Two booths to my left there was a beauty care company called Froosh. One of the staff members named Missy had been coming to my booth 3-4 times a day, looking at different accessories, different designs all the while telling me over and over again how much she loves my art and how much she loves my work.
One afternoon, when she came by my booth for the fourth time that day, she brought up my paintings, not my fashion accessories like in previous days. She asked "what's the price for this one" and then leaned in and saw that the price on the canvas. She then asked me how much the other canvas was and I said it's the same price.
She then said "I'm really attracted to that one, as she pointed to the second one and said especially the part where it says "Why? Why not!" because of this", she then lifted her sleeve to reveal her "Why not" tattoo.
I went completely speechless. My eyes went back-and-forth between her arm and my canvas, reading and rereading the words, and looking at the similarity of the penmanship -just shaking my head, feeling chills down my spine.
I told her that my painting was painted on a weekday sometime last year in 2015 at 3:30am in the morning. I woke up in the middle of the night as I sometimes do, and could not go back to sleep and decided to paint. And I remember writing the words "why, why not" because I thought well "why not! Why can't I paint at 3:30 in the morning if that's when inspiration strikes".
She told me the story of her tattoo, and how the inspiration also came to her in the middle of the night.
Needless to say we both agreed this piece was painted for her.
This is not the first time that I have experienced such an undeniable connection between one of my pieces of art and a stranger. But it's never been quite this striking.
One thing I do know, what my experience in the last 5 years had taught me, since I first picked up a brush in 2010, is that every piece I paint, already has an owner. An owner who will love it and cherish it as much as I do, for years to come. It's only a matter of time until I meet the owner of each piece, but I eventually do. And it's always a pleasure to hand over a piece, as much as it equally saddens me, when I know it is already loved.
So with the One of a Kind Show now over, I will sleep for 48 hrs and get back to reality slowly but surely.
I will reflect on the journey I've had the last 5.5 years because it feels like an out of body experience. I feel like I've been an artist my whole life when in reality... wow, it's only been 5.5 years! And now I can also call myself a designer.... unreal. So grateful.
One thing I now know for sure is that passion is like fire, it cannot be denied.
A huge, massive thank you to everyone who has supported my art and passion the last 5.5 years. Thank you. Your love and appreciation fuels me daily. ❤