Mixed Media Painting on 4 Separate Panels 'First Rays of Joy' Item ID: 2669891014

"I loved to draw when I was a child. I was always asking my parents to buy me coloring books, pencils and paintbrushes. I was always trying to copy and enlarge the images I saw in magazines or book illustrations. It was my greatest source of fun and pleasure.

"Whether it was destiny or my parents' wishes, I went to university to study physiotherapy. It was my parents' dream to have a daughter working in the health sector. I put a lot of effort into my studies and I worked as a physiotherapist for eight years, until I realized I was carrying with me a sense of emptiness. I used to leave the hospital with an uncontrollable urge to get home and start gluing together my art materials so I could relax in body and mind. Soon I realized my hobby was consuming me more than my career.

"I discovered the true value behind personal satisfaction. What gives me a sense of happiness in my life is to paint.

"I talked to my husband, a systems analyst, and he supported me. We left our jobs and comfortable city lifestyle and moved to a calm farmhouse, faraway from the city's noise and stress.

"Even though my family didn't quite approve of my decision, I am fully aware it was the best decision I have ever made in my life. The rhythm of our daily life transformed completely. My husband now grows mushrooms, and I'm completely dedicated to art, my true life's passion."