When I was 17 I somewhere discovered a passion for the violin. I had never even picked one up before but I wanted to learn. I spent hours on the internet researching them, watching videos on how to play and dreaming of buying my own. Then for my 18th birthday my Nan, who has always been incredible supportive of any musical inclining in her grandchildren, bought me the most beautiful instrument. I was so happy and immediately I started to learn. At first I didn’t even know how to get a sound out of it, but with the help of a neighbor friend who played I managed to begin to learn to play it.

I played for about a year or so regularly. At the same time I was becoming more and more passionate about art about learning painting and drawing skills. I found myself drawing or painting my violin more than I was playing it. I still loved it, I loved looking at it, I loved listening to violin music, but I practiced less and less as I concentrated more on painting.

At one point I thought I could do everything. I could paint and draw, ride my horse, play violin and piano, write, do archery, and keep up a social life. And then I started working for my first exhibition and I realized that I would have to prioritize some time and concentrate on the things that I wanted to really master. I actually do think it is possible for me to do all of those things if I wanted, I believe we are all capable of a lot more than we think we are. But I knew what I wanted most to do was to get really good at painting and drawing and that that would take hours of practice.

So I made a decision to let the violin go and just use it as a model for my paintings. It has always been a sad decision for me and I often have the feeling that that will become one of the things I will regret most about my life. There have been times that I think I will give myself another chance to learn again, but it doesn’t quite happen. It’s a bitter sweet treasure of mine, my violin. I love it’s beauty and the sound it can create, I think it is one of the most romantic and beautiful of instruments. Maybe one day I will begin to play again, but just now it will remain in my dreams, unheard…

This summer I wanted to pick it up and play again, but I ended up being more inspired to paint it which is what I did and here is my latest painting in progress and finished: