This painting was completed in 2020. I visited the Calabria region of Italy several times, visiting a friend. I tried to capture the essence of Calabria; the food, the landscape, the architecture and the history.
What would you do if you lost all your possessions?
I lost all my possessions when I was 15yrs old. I know…what possessions does a 15yr old have? A few cuddly toys, my skateboard, toys, my diaries, and a scrapbook filled with my athletic certificates.
But, more importantly, I lost my home, my friends and my family.
Present day: the only possession I have from childhood is one photograph of myself when I was about three months old.
So in that sense, I didn’t lose everything!
I now have a lot of possessions; trinkets and souvenir’s from my travels. My home has all the usual practicalities. The walls of my home are adorned with all my paintings.
But, what I don’t have is a family. Therefore, I ‘feel’ I have lost more than possessions.
On a positive note, I have a roof over my head, I’m healthy, and I have good friends 🤗.
What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?
There are a number of topics that I’ve changed my mind about. But, the most significant and important for me is the criminal justice system.
As a teenager, I believed and had faith in the police, the law courts, the powers to be…the whole judiciary system.
I no longer feel that way. The criminal justice system is ineffective; the practice, operation, and procedures are defective in delivering justice to the victims of serious crime.
After leaving school at 15yrs old with no real education or qualifications, I felt academically inept. I didn’t care at the time, all I wanted to do (and good at) was be an athlete; a sprinter.
On leaving school, being homeless for several months, my aspirations to be an athlete fell by the wayside. as did most things.
After finding my feet (no pun intended) at 19 yrs of age, I went to night school and studied Art and Psychology. I struggled, I had a lot to learn.
I gained a place in University to study Fine Art & Critical & Contextual Studies. I couldn’t believe it. I was terrified. I convinced myself they had made a mistake, they would soon find out, realise I shouldn’t be there.
On arrival, I felt so out of place. I felt like a fraud. I didn’t belong in academia, sit in lectures and take notes, write essays…F**K!
I kept a low profile, went to lectures, took copious notes, recorded every lecture, which I replayed numerous times; in case I missed anything.
I felt sure I wouldn’t last a month, if that. The months went by, and I was still there. After three years, I graduated with my degree and went straight into teaching Art & Art History.
I didn’t get to run in the Olympics, but I eventually got my education.
I really felt out of place in Uni, but so I’m so glad I persevered. 🤗🙏
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Sara Allwright Fine Art 