 My daughter, grandkids, and I went to the homeschool markets and a friend, Angela, gave Solomon a ukulele to do some busking. Solomon had never had a music or singing lesson, but he did it anyway. He spent the next two hours making up songs and strumming strings. Every time he ran out of customers he picked a new spot in the park. Two friends joined him with tambourines and that formed a band. Another friend came along to manage them and became the band manager. Two hours later they’d raised 50 bucks and they got $10 each. I thought, wow, we have to get this kid into music so I looked around for a music teacher and Solomon began learning the ukulele.
One year later, I was watching Solomon in in his music lesson, and I I thought about the years and decades artists put into their craft, without ever really knowing where it’s going. I thought about how we usually wait until musicians are highly skilled before we invite them to perform, so I decided I could honour him now, at the beginning of his journey with the art that I have spent my life evolving. I began with photographs and sketches. Solomon has a very busy mind, and loves to move a lot, so I added the family dog who ran around and around Solomon during his playing. I added the fishing pole because this barefoot boy loves to fish. After sketches I trialled several paintings and compositions before I began this one. It evolved from highly colourful to mystical and emerging. After it’s completion I had a painting reveal so Solomon could see his painting. He told me it was ‘very good,’ and ‘it almost looked like him, but his hair was much thicker.’
As a grandmother, I am totally in awe of watching my grandchildren become themselves and I loved spending this time with Solomon in painting his portrait.
The Painting Reveal at Loft Gallery, Redcliffe 2024.  Thank you for sharing my journey with me. Monica
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