You'll recognise the picture from my profile. Thought it was time to tell you a little more about it and why, although it's not artistically good, it means a lot to me. It's a painting I did nearly a year ago - around Christmas/New Year time. It was my first attempt at using acrylics and it's also the first painting I painted that I actually kept. Up until that point, I would always destroy anything I did. Never being happy with how things turned out.
The painting was inspired by the following advert I had seen in a magazine. When I looked at the picture, it evoked feelings of saying goodbye to all the things in my life I was unhappy with:

I had literaly been dumped 3 days before Christmas and although I have spent many a Christmas & New Year alone in the past, you can imagine I wasn't at my happiest. Having said that, I got through it and considering what had happened, it actually wasn't my worst Christmas /New Year ever! I ended up doing a lot of thinking about my life, where it was going, why I had difficulty being in relationships. In other words, a lot of navel gazing! It was as a result of all that contemplation that I did the painting above. As I said, it's not "perfect" but to me it does seem to capture the feelings I was going through at the time. Holding up my life to the wind and letting it blow all the bad bits away.
We are not even at the end of 2007 and I'm already starting to question how much has changed for me over the past year and have I really said goodbye to all the things I had hoped to. I face another Christmas & New Year alone (before anyone comments on that bit, please don't! I'm not after sympathy and actually it's not that bad. I'd prefer to be alone than spend it with people I hardly know) but I am stronger than I have been for a long time. I've come to understand that my happiness is down to me rather than dependant on other people. And, most importantly, the past year has resulted in very good friendships.
So, it looks like come 31/12/07 I will be able to toast the good that has happened. On the inspiration front, I now just need to look out for something that will capture 2007. I like the thought of ending each year painting a picture that captures the essence of my journey that year.