I am an artist

I immediately signed up, drawn to the Saturday afternoon workshop by some force that said “Yes Marguerite, time to unleash your artist within”.

Like many women in the workshop, I had “done” art at school. Art then was a rigid study of right and wrong. There was little room for true self-expression and exploration outside the bounds of a very small and restrictive box. So, my class ended up with a few who were “good at art” … and the rest of us. Once I left high school, that was it for me and art, and many other things that I had been told I wasn’t good at.

Unfortunately, little seems to have changed, as only a few weeks ago, my son, battle-weary from fighting with his art teacher, asked in frustration “Mummy, how can you be wrong in art?”. I sighed and told him that I did not know, that there were no right or wrong answers, just maybe, ways to do things better or differently. I believe that as humans we do nothing but create, so each and very human being is creative. My belief about art is that it is an expression of our inner being. There can be no right or wrong in art. It is personal. Now, we may not like the art of someone else, but that is our issue – not the artist’s. We are seeing something wrong through eyes of judgement, dissatisfaction, negativity. Whose eyes? Ours! Whose judgement? Ours! Whose “wrong”? Ours! An artist who knows his or her true “I AM” continues to express regardless!

Yesterday, about 20 women and 1 man turned up to the workshop, each of us with our tales of not being considered good at art or creative but yearning to express ourselves. We were facilitated by a most loving, affirming teacher – Denise Harry-Inglis. Denise very skilfully critiqued our work, for while she pointed out things we could have done better, she validated our efforts as coming from our individual hearts, and therefore of value and worth to the world. We all left feeling that we had created masterpieces! We literally danced out of the studio, each of us holding two or three works of art ready for framing! Smiles, laughter, joy prevailed in abundance as the goddesses created, and the sole man joined in and celebrated!

Yesterday reminded me that whatever I desire I can be. I say proudly now “I am an artist”. This is yet another role that I accept and embody as the truth of my “I AM”. There are other “I ams” that I have accepted in my life despite what others may have said. “I am an athlete”. Whoever thought that Marguerite, who always came last at every sport’s day at school, would win an age-group trophy in a road race, as well as medals for finishing marathons? “I am an author”. Whoever thought that Marguerite, who lost the battle with the Management Communications lecturer at business school, would publish a book that people buy and actually like?

It does not matter what other people think. I know I am an artist as gifted as Picasso, Michaelangelo and all the other famous artists throughout history. Whatever the Universe provided them, it provided me. Does it matter to me if you agree? Absolutely not! For I know who I am. I am an artist. As I am anything that I want to be! Regardless of what anyone has ever told me or tells me now. It matters not.

I headed home yesterday, eager to share my masterpieces with my children, my ultimate critics. I did feel a smidgen of trepidation, but this was vastly outweighed by my pride and enthusiasm. I bounded through the door, bursting to display the works to them. “Here’s my art”. Pause: me still smiling broadly, waiting for their approval, but knowing that if I didn’t get it, it didn’t matter. Pause. Then, Victoria declared that she wanted one framed for her room. Shane said “YOU did that? It’s good”. And Daniel, Shane’s friend opined “Wow auntie! That is wicked!”. Out of the mouths of babes …..

I am an artist. I am anything I desire to be. And so are you!