Into the Air

Into the Air is a recent piece I completed in October 2011. I have not blogged about it sooner as I painted it to be included in the Anonymous Art Show, the North Vancouver Community Arts Council's annual fundraiser exhibition that takes place right for the month leading up to Christmas. Artists contribute art to the show and leave it anonymous until the piece has been purchased by a buyer. 50% of proceeds of the sales go to the artists and the other 50% to the Arts Council. As an artist who is very involved with the Arts Council, it's really a no-brainer to support them.



I'm so pleased to say that my piece sold yesterday and I'm able to give back in another way aside from my annual membership and my volunteer work. The North Vancouver Community Arts Council is an incredible organization to be part of and does amazing work to support the arts here on the North Shore. There are many wonderful events (garden tours, craft fairs etc.), amazing exhibitions, art classes, film festivals, and so on - they are a presence to remind us all how integral the arts are to a thriving community. The staff are incredible as well, and they give so much of their time, energy, and passion into the work they do to make the rich programming be of the high quality that it is.

So yes, now that my piece has sold and anonymity is no longer necessary, I've decided to blog about it at last. I've been pretty active with my art lately, just not as much with the blog. I got the idea of this piece by being part of the Anonymous Art Show last year. With the hundreds of pieces of art that are part of this show every year, it's very easy to fall in love with art work by fellow artists displayed near yours. There was a piece part of the show last year that I loved of a young girl skipping rope in a field. You couldn't see her face, but you could see the joy in her body's motion - totally uninhibited, enjoying the moment. When I saw it, I found it to be so beautiful, I began checking on this piece every time I'd pass the CityScape gallery to see if it'd sell. I'm not sure if it did, but regardless, I never forgot about the painting. I think I loved the painting for the same reason I love my own painting titled Namibian Playground. So I decided I needed to follow my heart in creating this next piece.

Into the Air is an image of a young girl, anonymous like the art show she was displayed in, sending her wish made into the air. She's outside, enjoying the elements in the way we all once did as children. Somehow this appreciation for the elements evolves with age; we don't play with nature the way we used to, regardless of how much time we spend outdoors. We don't make daisy chains, search for 4-leaved clovers, or send our wishes into the wind when we grow up. And it's a shame.

As I painted this, I wondered what the little girl's wish was. Thinking of this would put a smile on my face. And painting this image and this idea made me think of my little niece and nephew and how much the child that resides in my own heart loves playing with them. They remind me of the importance of play to all of us, regardless of age. Into the Air is a reminder of our childhood instinct to play and is there to remind us that we shouldn't allow that part of us to grow old.