Stay Fabulous

Hello

I hope that you are all well and coping in these unpredictable and surreal times that we currently find ourselves in. I wanted to share with you how I have been managing during lockdown.

I have to admit, initially I found it really hard to do any painting at all. I usually find most of my inspiration comes from places I go and people I meet and how they make me feel. As I wasn’t going anywhere at all, I was really struggling. Like a lot of people, my thoughts have been all over the place and my emotions too, they have been up and sometimes very down. I’ve had to dig deep to find my inspiration and to express myself artistically.

My art is my therapy, it has always helped me through the most difficult times in my life and there have been plenty!!!! When I paint, I go into my own world completely. Firstly, I always put on very loud music, then once I start painting, I am lost. Sometimes when I’m painting, I do all of my thinking and try to resolve the issues that have been bothering me. I can work things out and make decisions, I can think things through and end up feeling really positive and uplifted when I’ve finished. Then there are other times when I’m sad or confused and I completely shut off. I shut out the world around me and completely stop thinking, using painting as my escape from the realities of life.

When I’m not painting as part of my job - I am a full member of MFPA and paint cards for them to sell - I mostly have no idea at all what I am about to paint, I just let it happen. Obviously there have been times when I spend hours painting and then hours looking at it, only to paint all over it and start again. I never know what will appear but the important thing is to keep going, to keep being creative and expressing ourselves, especially at times like we are living in at the moment. Painting for me is, my life, my thoughts, my expression, it’s my mood, it’s my passion. If I’m happy I may paint bright and big and bold or swirling colours of joy. If I’m sad I can sometimes paint in dark and gentle colours softly, often with more attention to detail. Of course, both styles of painting can also happen in reverse, that’s the beauty of art and painting, each time is unique. Everyone sees something different when they look at your art work. When you look at your own work, only you can know every thought and emotion that has gone into it.

Please keep using your imagination, whatever your art, whatever your style. Use your emotions to express yourself creatively, however you’re feeling, it’s you and it’s so important!!!!

Stay safe and stay fabulous!!!

Alison Lapper MBE