Tags
Art, mother and child, my family in art, painting, painting my family, Sand, sand art, Sand art and play, Wales
Sometimes I find that I need to get away from home in order to get new inspiration for my painting. My fiancé, Heath and our baby, Clara spent the weekend in Aberdovey, Wales which did wonders for my inspiration.
Wales is such a beautiful place and full of mother earth’s natural charms. But what I found even more inspiring than the place was being able to spend quality time with my family. It was the first time that Heath and I have been able to get away even for a short break since before Clara was born. Clara was a little star on the trip and despite being eleven months old she was such great company and so much fun to be with.
The paintings that I produce very much come from my own personal experiences, encounters, and feelings that bubble up and come to the surface at various high and low points. The weekend away unlocked something so powerful and I had no idea where it had come from. I learnt for the first time what it really, really feels like to be a mother. Of course I know what it feels like to hold my baby and know that she is ours and love her and cherish her but this was very different.
I had totally relaxed for the first time in ages. There was something about the sea breeze, the fact that we weren’t in a rush to be somewhere, even the fact that we were able to sit and eat outside in the evening – Clara safely tucked up in the tent and we could hear her breathing behind us. There was something so raw and deep about our time together that I was able to access parts of my soul that had been locked away and put on hold. I discovered just how much I loved our baby and just how much I loved Heath, not only for who he is but for giving us the most incredible special little person in the world to nurture.
My art is sand art and to see Clara playing on the beach in the sand was especially exciting. Before she had even touched the sand she watched it as we carried her to our chosen spot on the beach. Her eyes were huge as always but this time there was obvious confusion on her face. Heath took out the bucket and spade and proceeded to build Clara her first ever sand castle. She didn’t put her hands out at first but simply watched Heath as he finalised the filling of the bucket. He then very carefully turned the bucket upside down and then lifted it away from the damp moulded sand. She loved it. She was still very curious but within seconds her hands went out in front of her and she began scooping the sand and creating an entirely different sculpture of her own. If I moved her hand she would simply put it back to where it was and start scooping again.
Seeing the excitement and the way that Clara was with the sand inspired me in another way too. What I saw was the novelty and the look on my baby’s face when she first spotted the sand. The texture so different to anything that she had ever touched before. Sand is fun to play with, it is formed naturally and the thought of sand floods me with the most amazing memories of holidays from the past. Holidays throughout my life; as a child with my parents, as a teenager with friends and now with the family that I have created.
My batteries have re-charged and I’m now ready to create my next painting!