Hi there and Happy New Year!

I hope your year has started well for you and your loved ones. I wish you and your loved ones a blessed New Year.   

As I reflect on 2019, it's impressive to see that I started my full-time journey as an artist only seven months ago. I sent out my first newsletter in July, and it was new, scary, and a bit stressful for me. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate the concept of writing. It was that I was scared to be vulnerable. I didn't want to share more about my personal life and I was nervous about people's perception of me once they knew about the things that made me "tick" as an artist. 

During the past few months, I was rediscovering myself spiritually as an artist while committing to other essential duties such as designing my website, creating a new logo, and homeschooling my younger son, who has Aspergers. Through this busy, and at times, stressful journey, I rediscovered myself. I found my purpose as a businesswoman and my mission as an artist. There's just so much for me to be thankful for, and I plan on sharing it with you through new pieces I'll be creating in the upcoming months. 

Today's featured piece called, "BEAUTIFUL IMPERFECTIONS," was inspired by my younger son a couple of years ago. He's such a blessing and has come such a long way. My journey with him is something I'm contemplating writing about to help other families. The goal is to share everything we did to help him and things I did to keep my family together through those trying years. The fact of the matter is that I give God credit for everything. He's the reason why I enjoy painting. As for my son, he's part of the beauty I see each day amid the occasional chaos. My baby (now 14 yrs old) was the inspiration behind today's featured piece. I made it in honor of him. 

I struggled emotionally, trying to understand once upon a time. I remember when my son lost his ability to speak at age 3. I remember when he used to look past me with no eye contact despite moving around trying to "trap" his eyes for a possible brief moment's gaze. I remember when his favorite color was green and only green. I wish I could go into his mind's eye to see how he saw the world. Was the universe beautiful or confusing? He was always happy, so I'm leaning more towards beautiful. 

Today, he a different person. He speaks, shows affection, demands that we look at him when he's talking and loves all colors. He sees the beauty in life and others. I paint the beauty I see in him and his impact on our lives.  He's made significant changes, and I'm looking forward to seeing more. I once noted the tiny imperfections I saw in my son. They're the beautiful imperfections that make him who he is... unique, loving, and beautiful. It's those tiny imperfections in our lives that make us who we are — beautiful species created to love one another unconditionally.

So, there you have it. The real story behind "BEAUTIFUL IMPERFECTIONS." A painting that has blessed me because I have come to see and appreciate the remarkable transformation in my son. My gift. My blessing and my source of happiness. 

Cheers!  


Temi Ayodeji - Artist