This painting came to life when I asked my social media following for a suggestion of what bird to paint and what their message might be. My friend (and at this point also a collector) Anne-Marie suggested I paint a puffin, with the message “You Do You.”
I posted almost hourly updates about the painting in my private VIP facebook group as I created it, which is always fun! The blue background was inspired by water, as I saw puffins in the wild just off the Isle of Sark, and they were bobbing about being all cute.
When the time came to name the painting, I was stumped. There are six puffins in this image, and naming the painting after all of them would have been a mouthful! I chose to name only the one who is pointing in a different direction to all the others, and was inspired by the real-life Anne-Marie to make the message about her journey.
Anne-Marie is an engineer, and a few years ago, took the bold step to go freelance and create her own career, on her own terms. She’s a fabulous and unique human being who brings so much joy and life to those around her, and as a former engineer, I know how hard it can be to own your own space in an engineering environment when you’re not like those around you! She’s truly an inspiration to me to follow my own dreams and be my authentic self.
The short bio of this painting reads:
Go Your Own Way is a painting about choosing your own path. When everyone else is doing the same old, same old, Anne-Marie the Puffin is checking out her options, thinking about what she wants, and forging a path that’s hers and hers alone. How about you?
I hope this painting inspires you to go your own way, to be the architect of your own life, and choose you.
