Can I tell you a story:
When I was a little girl of merely 6, I had set it in my head that I wanted yellow tights. So what? Go to the store and buy a dozen. Not so fast.
Mind you this was in the Netherlands, six years after the war. We didn’t have much. There wasn’t much. You wore what you got, what your mother decided for you. But I already had a mind of my own and I wanted yellow tights. Why? How?
I have no idea, but I do remember vividly that I wanted those yellow tights. I must have seen them somewhere, but back then nobody wore colorful tights, and if, definitely not yellow. In Northern Europe it’s pretty dark and gloomy, especially in the winter time.
After asking my mother repeatedly she finally relented and bought them for me. To my utter delight, but I had to promise to wear them. I’m still to this day grateful that my mother granted my wish. And yes I did wear them. All the time.
Oh how happy I was. I wore them just about every day.
Now I’m older now – you can easily say much older – and reflecting on my life, looking for patterns, I can clearly see the beginning of my strong desire for freedom, even at the young age of six. Maybe even younger but I don’t remember that.
Freedom of expression is my core value. It comes out in many ways. Back then I remember how proud I was wearing those tights and how happy. I was as free as a little bird.
Life happened for this little girl with this simple wish, that was granted. Decades later when I gave myself permission to start painting, it gave me the same feeling. Probably even stronger.
I recognized it. I remembered those yellow tights. That felt like coming home.
Over the years those yellow tights have become my symbol of freedom. Freedom of expression.
What is your yellow? Your core value?
