Dog and Buddhist Head
I feel happy in those colour, the dogs have been my life and kept me alive and the Buddhist head because I went on a ten day silent retreat, both these places being with my dogs and being in the Buddhist centre have been so profound in me staying alive.
The Sea Cocoons Me
North Berwick is a place I take my dogs to. This place and Gullane make me feel happy and were places my dogs love. My relatives were fishermen from Stonehaven, and the sea has always meant freedom and safety to me. I also lived In a refugee camp in Cyprus with an experience, the seaside was my daily refuge, the family I stayed with are in my memory every day as I saw such love and morality in how they and the other neighbours lived. I had never experienced the unconditional love that I saw around me before or after living there.The seaside is my way of reconnecting to the possibility of living with the qualities these people I knew and have peace, hope safety and love. The loving people I knew, I connect to the sea, as there I feel I’m surrounded by peace and hope.
Bottles
The bottles are a quick study at Leith School of Art where I was given a part-time financially supported place to find a voice through painting and drawing. This has been difficult for me due to low self esteem, however the support from Leith School of Art and Art in Healthcare (Room for Art) has helped me through my daily struggle to speak out and claim life. What it’s taught me your art can only reflect who you are and as a person changes so does their art .In the classes, I could see my faults almost magnified. Now I know I have to play and not judge to grow and learn and as I do my painting or drawing get stronger. I would call Art in Healthcare Leo’s class, and Catherine Seargant at Leith School of Art’s classes my safe places to learn to explore and grow. To push boundaries that others have imposed through cruelty and walk on through to the other side such as I explain in my North Berwick picture which was a first attempt to draw and keep a sketchbook.
