Maria’s Musings …25+75

Monthly thoughts, inspirations and musings from our Creative Lead, Maria Mendoza.

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I painted this 2 weeks ago while I was ​experiencing what I considered to be​ my quarter-life-crisis. I was dreading my 25th birthday for months, thinking that 25 was the age at which you should have your life together. At the time, ​this painting ​was representative of how my life was 25% done. I had experienced some serious changes the year before: I moved out of my parents’ house and into a condo, bought furniture for the first time, got a dog, moved into an apartment and fell out of love. I did a lot of growing up and I did it​ fast. I needed a moment to stop and breathe, but it just didn’t seem to be happening.

​Finally, ​on October 18 2015, it was my birthday. The night before, I hosted a party in my new apartment and all the clarity I ever needed came to me. I gave a toast at exactly midnight and saw my closest friends from different parts of my life gathered around supporting me. I remembered how each of them helped me through conflict: that bad day at work, that time I had my heart broken, the day I ​was terrified to move out on my own, that time I was in a fight with another friend – all of it, over. And I realized that the pressure I put on myself to “be an adult” (whatever that might​ mean) was just all in my head.

Now, I see this painting as a representation of the fact that I still have 75% of my life to go. The different colours show the ongoing journey I’m taking to learn, create, laugh and just live. I used to be so worried about what I hadn’t done yet but​ now all I’m thinking about is how much more I’ll get to do.

So here it is: 25+75 by Maria Mendoza.