Late Autumn

30″x30″ mixed media on wood. The sides are 1.5″ deep and are red.

This painting is available HERE

Late Autumn, not here, but in Victoria, where I was born and lived for 28 years. I remember a big man’s coat that I wore when I was 17, it was not this colour but the collar and shoulders were like this, oversized. I wore a black turtleneck with it. It was really long too, that is what was in in 1985.  I wore a long pencil skirt and flat pointy boots. I don’t know why but even though this painting does not look like me, the whole time I’ve been painting it, I felt like it was me, at this time.  It was a special time. Maybe it was on my mind because my girls have been watching some Molly Ringwald movies from the 80’s lately.  I looked a little like her at the time and I definitely dressed with her same flare,  I had my own  vintage style, that is for sure. I don’t often let myself get nostalgic about that time but with this painting I did a little. I don’t like looking back and I rarely listen to music or watch movies from that time. I don’t know why, but this painting conjured up those feelings and made me remember that girl. I liked her, she was pretty cool. This last year has been really hard for me. Sometimes I don’t even recognize myself at all when I look in the mirror. I definitely don’t recognize my breasts. It’s been just over year since I had my first mastectomy and I still find it difficult to look at them in the mirror. So maybe looking back a little  and  reminding myself of the girl  I was is OK to do occasionally. Really, I am still that girl, the package is just a little different

“There comes a time in your life when you have to choose to turn the page, write another book or simply close it.”
― Shannon L. Alder.