my family is incredibly talented. my cousin chad is a musician in a great band called fox island collective. my cousin amanda is a photographer, who shoots weddings and families, and tons of nature. my cousin melissa is an architect, who designs incredible instillations, and creates magical pieces of furniture. my cousin lara is an amazing and fantastic photographer, painter and creative wonder. other cousins (with less easy to showcase talents) are bricklayers, mothers, dancers,
my dad's siblings are yoga teachers, models, brick layers, athletes, spiritualists and teachers. my mom's siblings spend their time being artistic and totally insightful on the farms they run.
i am lucky to be from an amazingly close family, who spends copious amounts of time together - and who truly ENJOYS spending so much time together.
and there's always been a theme. everyone in my family is incredibly artistic - in one capacity or another - and is a teacher or a coach. i can't think of one cousin, aunt, uncle, or sibling who i am related to, who isn't creative in their own way - be it music, photography, painting, singing, dance, bricklaying, reading/writing - and who hasn't been an educator in one way or another - mothers, fathers, coach's, teachers.
and at some point in life, i started to realize this. started to see a trend. and began to realize that the people in my family who are happy - the ones who lead fantastic lives - are the ones who have wholeheartedly embraced their loves. music. art. who have thrown caution to the wind, and run full speed ahead.
my dad's siblings are yoga teachers, models, brick layers, athletes, spiritualists and teachers. my mom's siblings spend their time being artistic and totally insightful on the farms they run.
i am lucky to be from an amazingly close family, who spends copious amounts of time together - and who truly ENJOYS spending so much time together.
and at some point in life, i started to realize this. started to see a trend. and began to realize that the people in my family who are happy - the ones who lead fantastic lives - are the ones who have wholeheartedly embraced their loves. music. art. who have thrown caution to the wind, and run full speed ahead.
and i want that. i want to throw caution. want to embrace this. and being surrounded by so many wonderful people in a family i am proud to be part of - lucky to be part of. we can easily surround ourselves by people who inspire us - friends, mentors, art that reflects the things we believe by strangers who we feel a connection to.
i, however, am one of the lucky ones. my friends, mentors, and artists are frequently those related to me. i have a painting by my cousin lara hanging in my apartment. songs by my cousin chad on my iTunes. inspirations for jewellery by my cousins melissa's architecture in my head. photos from my cousin amanda over my bed.
all of it - i have an innate connection to. a bond with. and i am inspired by the people closest to me - sometimes moreso than strangers i've never met.
and for that - for the natural born inspiration i get to be surrounded by constantly - i am exceptionally lucky.
photo by amanda shea; photo by lara shea; bike shop that melissa and her partner designed - featured in the toronto star; download chad's newest album here