The drudge of a working environment you really don’t have the energy for. Life’s ups and downs, you know yourself… becoming a widow in 2005 changed my life a lot. I found I had lots more time to think. Maybe that wasn’t such a good thing, ha ha, but I took it and ran with it. Losing an opportunity and gaining another. Changing country. Speaking English all day every day instead of French. Connecting with family. Losing precious family members in tragic circumstances. It all creeps into your brain and needs a way to be channelled. I took a leap of faith when I met my new husband who supported me enormously. He believed in me and I guess that changed everything. It has taken me years to believe in myself and I still battle with that almost daily. Living in Brussels was full of fantastic opportunities to be around arty people from photographers to sculptors and so on. In the early 90’s I went to so many artists’ studios and exhibition launches and each time imagined myself in their place. I met some dodgy artists too. One guy in particular asked me to pose for him. Initially, I hadn’t realised but soon copped on that he was trying to get me on to his wall of nudes. I was naive but not that much, thank heavens. In those early days of exploring with paints and charcoals I liked to focus on faces. I still have a drawing I did of Samuel Beckett as I think he has one of the most interesting face I have ever seen and only wish I could have met him. Maybe next time I will tell you about how I first connected with a Belgian artist who inspired me to move my ass and do something for real.