Spring flowers
The trees are awakening here in the north, every day there are new buds opening, spring flowers and green leaves carrying the promise of sunny days ahead.
As we shrug off the grey cloak of winter, moods lift, plans are made and the purging begins. Time to let go of the old, useless, ugly clutter in our lives, air out the dark, musty corners and give everything a deep clean.
Change is in the air, it is the time preparations are made for new beginnings and fresh starts. Moving into a new house, starting a new school, new job or new weight loss program. Spring babies. Birth and rebirth.
Spring cleaning is accompanied by other spring chores, which may include re-decorating.
We invite happiness in, by surrounding ourselves with beauty, inspiration, and meaningful objects. Potted tulips, Grandma’s cake stand, art that speaks to us.
Many people switch out dark coloured linens, tableware, cushion covers etc., for lighter ones. Some even switch out the artwork. Paintings are taken down and packed away carefully, other paintings are brought out and unpacked, and old favourites are hung with pleasure.
Sometimes though, a painting no longer “works” in the space, no longer represents who we are; our interests or ambitions.
It could even be that you have just fallen out of love with it, maybe it was cool when you were younger, but now it is embarrassing, or just plain boring.
Was it an ugly gift from a mother-in-law you no longer have to please? Rip it up, throw it into a cathartic bonfire, or sell it and buy art that you like!
Did you inherit paintings from a relative whose style feels old-fashioned, and yet you feel obliged to hang them in your house? Sometimes people tell me, I love your work, but I already have all these paintings from my husband’s late grandfather … in a box in the basement.
Maybe you’re sitting on a gold mine. The other extreme is that the art might actually be in bad condition, essentially trash.
Life is short. Give yourself permission to sell, gift or store art that you do not truly want to display. Maybe your kids or grand-kids will appreciate it more than you do.
Meanwhile, there is affordable, original art available all around you.
Spring into action, or go at a leisurely pace, but choose art that excites you, that moves you, that fits into your life at this very moment.
This painting was painted for an exhibition on Spring Flowers at Gallery [2] Burlington, which is over now. The gallery is in a wonderful location, right next to the Royal Botanical Gardens. I look forward to exhibiting there again.
