This miniature was painted as a gift for Meg and Ben, founders of Wild Drive Life as an act of gratitude for the inspiration they awoke in me. It also taught me a powerful lesson on following up on intention and not being skewed by the lure of potential creative remuneration.
Painting from personal image their bus shared on @wilddrivelife
Original painting gifted to Megg and Ben of Wild Drive Life
Replicas not for sale.
ORIGINAL COPY POSTED ON INSTAGRAM DURING THE CHALLENGE
I made a stuff up last year. I reached out to @wilddrivelife, a couple travelling the US in their refurbished bus home because their journey and their account inspired me so much. I wanted to paint them a miniature painting of one of their favourite feed photos as my way of saying thank you and because I figured tiny bus living didn’t offer much in the way of wall space for art. To my huge delight, they loved my paintings. But when they asked how much I would charge for one, all good intentions flew out the window and my ego kicked in. (What? They’re willing to pay for my art?! Stoked!) Even though I hate conversations about money, I used the chance and was honest about what I thought my art was worth. They weren’t currently in a position to buy my art and I was left feeling a bit icky about how the whole thing had turned out.
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In a world that teaches us to fight for what we deserve and elbow our way to the top, it can be really tough to listen to a voice inside you that wants to just give your gifts to a total stranger as a spontaneous gesture of thanks. By all means, we should sell art. The intention here, however, was never to sell, it was to give and by letting money sway me from a genuine act of kindness was not my proudest moment.🤦♀️ This painting is my way of doing right by my heart.
Megg and Ben – this miniature painting of your beautiful bus is for you. It belongs in your tiny mobile home. Thank you for inspiring me to chase my own dreams all the way across the world.
Now – if anyone from Cape Town is headed to the great ol’ US (or knows a friend who is) please get in touch so this painting can find its way home. ✨
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