Out of the box

riot cop, oil on board, 7x10in, 2012

In the summer of 1989 while I was an architecture student I bought some oil paints, which I kept (unused) in a little tin box. Although completely forgotten I always preciously held onto the box of oil paints wherever I moved. At one point I even tried to give them away to an Aunt of mine who is an artist, but she told me to keep them - I might use them someday. Eventually in early 2012 (23 years later!) I finally took them out and began to make some little oil compositions on old teak boards. I was happy with the results.
In Thailand I met an artist who works solely in oils and he told me why he loves it so much - 'it's like cooking'. Yeah, I got it, especially when you put it on really thick. My cooking style is similar to how I paint, I don't quite know how it's going to come out, just throw a lot of stuff in the pot and go with it.
It took me a long time to get around to it but the important thing is that I did, eventually - don’t give up your dreams.

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