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When I was 17 I fell pregnant. My life turned on a dime. My sense of self and how I saw my future changed the instant I found out this news. But I was overwhelmed with the desire to be the very best mother I could. I felt a fierceness rise inside of me, determined to make the very best of my circumstances, no matter where I found myself. 

I lived in Katherine, a town in the remote top end of Australia. I had no car, no phone, no internet and no money behind me. I lived in a share house which was a party house and to have any personal space I would have to lock my door and stay in my room.

I had always been creative, but found it hard to be still. It was at this point of my life though, as my friends went off to University or to travel, that I found myself increasingly alone. Being pregnant excluding me from most of the usual teenage activities. So, I went back to drawing and then painting. Loosing myself in the process. This continued on after my daughter was born and has been a continuous thread throughout my life. My painting started in a time when I felt I had little else to do, it kept me occupied, and gave me something to look forward at the end of the day when my baby was asleep. It kept me sane in tough times. It started as a way to be be still, to kill time. I never started out with a plan to make money or make a living off my art, it just evolved to be like that.

I recent times, with Covid-19 disrupting all of us, I wonder if some of you will return to your creative selves. The busyness of daily life put to the side for a time. To turn within and find solace in a sketch or with whatever it is you like to do. When I started it was with the tiny paint tubes from the newsagency on water colour paper.

The reality is there is so much out of our control right now. So much we can’t do. There is no use worrying about it. We can only do what we can with what we have. I wish my 17 year old self had known how many wonderful things lay ahead for me. How that life changing experience of becoming a mother would actually turn out to be the very best (first), thing that happened to me. 

There is something to remember in that for all of us. Perhaps because of this virus we will all be better. Our planet will be better. We will connect with who we are and who we were born to be and we will have a greater appreciation for all the things we already have. 

Love to you wherever you are..

Jasmine X

Want to see my most recent work? You can view my Current Catalogue here

P.S I have many people to thank who have encouraged me along the way. But that is for a separate post maybe. THANK YOU everyone…

P.S.S I wrote about my family some time ago, when I blogged more often. You can read that post here.

Also I am making a part two of this video in which I will talk about this, but here is the part one for you now. If you enjoy please share  🙂 🙂