From Stillness to Flight: An Artistic Journey in Motion.
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An intimate reflection on becoming an artist through stillness, learning, and the courage to move forward.
My artistic journey didn’t begin with a grand plan. It began suddenly, almost by chance.
I signed up for art classes with a local artist ( who is a friend of mine) simply out of curiosity. I wasn’t thinking about a career or a destination. I just wanted to learn. But the moment I picked up a brush and placed my first painting blob on the canvas, something shifted. That first step, taken without certainty, opened a path I hadn’t known I was ready to walk.
I taught myself however I could, through books piled on my desk and literally everywhere I planted myself to read, hours of YouTube tutorials, and master classes that slowly expanded my understanding. Like many beginnings, my progress was sometimes awkward and uncertain. I moved forward anyway, trusting that each attempt mattered.
“I have learned that growth doesn’t arrive all at once - it moves through stillness, awkward leaps, and moments of flight.”
When I look at “Harmony in Motion”, I see those early years reflected back at me.
The stillness of the bear mirrors the moments in my life when I paused - observing, absorbing, gathering strength. The clumsy, determined leaps of the penguins echo my learning years: experimenting, stumbling, trying again, moving forward without elegance but with persistence. And the flight of the seagulls represents what began to emerge later - confidence, freedom, and trust in my own direction.
All of this unfolds within a world of swirling water, cascading waterfalls, and shifting light. That environment reflects my own journey, constantly changing, sometimes overwhelming, yet filled with moments of clarity and determination. The water doesn’t resist movement; it carries it. In the same way, every stage of my artistic path has carried me forward, even when I didn’t fully understand where it was leading.
Everything shifted for me when I joined the Milan Art Institute Mastery Program. That experience revolutionized my career, but more importantly, it changed how I saw myself. It was there that I learned to recognize my voice, not by striving harder, but by aligning more honestly with who I am. I learned that harmony isn’t stillness, and motion doesn’t need to be forced.
Perhaps the stillness of the bear and the clumsy leaps of the penguins will one day transform into the flight of the seagulls. That idea lives deeply in both this painting and my own life. Growth doesn’t happen all at once. It evolves. It gains confidence. It learns when to rest and when to move.
None of this journey has happened alone.
From my very first painting, my husband believed in me. He treasures that first painting and keeps it in his office, a testament to his belief in new beginnings. His faith in me helped me trust myself long before I felt fully ready.
My friends have been steady encouragers, celebrating every step forward. And my daughter continues to inspire me with her unwavering support and pride, encouraging me to stay brave and to honor the work that feels true to me.
Harmony in Motion holds all of this for me - the pauses, the awkward leaps, the moments of flight, and the unseen currents that carried me through. It is not just a painting, but a reflection of a life lived in movement, learning, and trust.
If this work resonates with you, I hope it invites you to reflect on your own journey - the stages you’ve moved through, the ones you’re standing in now, and the freedom that may already be taking shape ahead.
