My love for art began as a little child.  In elementary school, my teachers always planned an activity for the holidays.  I even created my first book at six years old. I wrote about elephants. I went to the library for my research, gathered my materials, wrote my story, and drew the images. I’m sure my mother has it somewhere. If I ever find it, I’ll be sure to share it.  Eventually, I began to draw and create on my own.

(Edited note:  I found it!  Click HERE to see it)

In 2004, I took my first painting course. I learned about brush techniques, middle values, and how to create different tones and shades.  I loved it and also found it to be very calming, as it gave me the creative outlet I needed at the time.  Over the years, I continued to paint on occasions.

A year after my son was born, I realized that I wanted to paint more, but I lacked the inspiration and didn’t know where to start. So, I committed myself to attend a painting class once a month. I chose Paint Nite because it had the most flexible schedule.  

Fast forward to December of 2015 during my  “awakening” moment I talked about in “I finally did it,” I experienced a burst in creativity.  My life and interests became my inspiration.  Which led me to my most recent painting, “Serene Beauty.”

I love the beach! Growing up in Los Angeles has it’s advantages – I lived 25 minutes from Redondo Beach Pier. I have fond memories of my family spending time there. We would walk the paths, buy churros or an ice cream cone from one of the stores on the pier, play in the sand, run away from the waves before finally jumping in the water…

As an adult, the beach became a place my husband and I would spend time together, walk from Manhattan Beach Pier to Hermosa Beach Pier, push the baby in the stroller, and now family time, where we’ve created more memories with our son.

Serene Beauty started off a little differently in my head than the actual result. Originally, I wanted to display a lighter feel and not be so dark.  During a conversation I had with a fellow artist one day, she explained to me that your emotions are usually transferred to paper and represents how you’re feeling at the moment.

After hearing my life story, she thought the two correlated. You can see the dark clouds on one side and a clearer sky on the other. My favorite colors are purple, orange, yellow, and blue, and there is a woman sitting very calmly.

It does kind of represent where I am now. I’m inspired by my past, the good and the bad, and at peace with my decision to pursue my hearts desires.

As I watched my son run away from the waves like I once did, I expressed my thanks for this very moment. Declared my strength and that I would let the illusion of fear drift away. The fear of what people will think about me as I launch Blooming August. The fear of what will happen if I don’t do it. The fear of failure… We have more control than we give ourselves credit for… So, at that moment I decided to let it all go. Little did I know that the painting I had created a few weeks prior, would represent this moment I experienced at the beach.

I slept better that night. My heart and mind were at peace.

(Purchased from Home Goods)

Peace and Love!

Yasmin