About this artwork

‘Not another brick in the wall’
Oil on Board
29.7 x 21cm

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up” Pablo Picasso

I believe children are creative by nature, When you are a child, the world is a canvas, how many times has your child decided the wall or your furniture is a better canvas for their masterpiece than paper!

A child’s drawing can tell you so much about their thoughts, feelings, and aspirations, but as we grow older and go through the education system, we’re taught that certain things have higher value than others; learn maths, science, English, get good grades, go to college, get a ‘good job’, and I’m not saying these aren’t important but creative thought and process is almost discouraged and over time we learn to not create and colour or even think outside the box.

Our creative efforts are criticized by parents or teachers, and work compared to inflexible “standards” and expectations held by others and we slowly stop being artists and start believing that art is just talent or a hobby for the elite and we lose that artistic engagement and confidence!

I remember the school careers advisor coming into my school and asking what I wanted to do when I left school and almost being laughed at me when I said I wanted to work in art or theatre then asked me “no seriously what will you do for a proper job” even family and friends (with best intentions) telling me to get my head out of the clouds and work out what I was going to do with my life!

So I passed my GCSEs, did my all levels went to university, had several jobs to fund my studies and when I left University, I was lost because all I really wanted to do was to do a job that allowed me creative freedom to be able to express myself and to do what I was really good at but there was next to no opportunities for me.

I ended up stuck in several dead end jobs, miserable, I became so caught up in needing to make money or a reputation for myself that I allowed the artist within me to fade away, it was like forgetting who I was and what I was good at because it wasn’t taken seriously as a profession.

I eventually made my own opportunities and started my own art business CYP Arts inspiring creativity in children and I found my inner child delivering art workshops ans parties. I did this for almost 12 years and loved it but eventually realised that although I was helping children be creative and express themselves and have fun, I had stopped creating my own art so during lockdown I started painting again everyday! I started to grown my own art practice and business and here I am!

It is true it doesn’t pay well and certainly not regular and I probably have to work ten times harder to promote sell and make some sort of living and the knock backs and criticism is so so hard but I’m determined to show my children that they should follow their hearts and if they love something and are passionate then sacrifices sometimes need to be made but nothing is impossible and you don’t have to give up being a dancer or a singer or a painter to become ‘an adult’

It just takes courage and a lot of hard work!