How I became an artist

[bridget busutil]

I was born in Haiphong Vietnam and raised in the beautiful island of Madagascar. I witnessed pink rising suns and blood red setting suns, Large moons and starry nights as shiny as millions of diamonds set in the sky. I travelled the Indian Ocean several times over, with its moodiness, uncomfortable motions and disquieting tempests.The long days without seeing the shore between sky and water were stolen out of time, like of suspended time, a break with any usual form of living in real time. I looked forward to see ships emerge from the sand in the Suez canal and to the arrival at Suez with its intense odours, a mix of oils and spices, sweat and fruits. The incredible activity of ships at port bringing in an instant a myriad of colourful people on board. The noises of the cranes opening the holds and loading out and then in. the screams in languages I could not understand forming a rattle of astonishing sounds. UNFORGETABLE... and not forgotten....
It shaped me, deep inside, way down to my core... My love of solitude, my love of space, my thirst for the infinite which then was all around and such a reality. The acute awareness of the senses as the air changed , tasting salty, from hot to cool and the reverse. the wonderful, bountiful water, salty and sweet, drying up the lips leaving a fine layer of salt. Sweet is the taste of rain on the ocean. It comes with the storm and beats hard on the ship,the rain lashes with the wind, exhilarating, free and powerful, creating huge drops sliding on the portholes. I am the result of all these experiences intensely lived. My family belonged to the ex colonial world,French and English. I benefited from the two languages. My first loss was my father's death which gave me the strong desire to leave the house ship.I got married and went to the US, where I did my graduate and artistic studies, where another Me emerged. The first imprints never completely leave you. I craved independence and freedom. I still do. I have kept going from one place to the other, never finding a home other than my soul. I have created, works, family, studies, environments. I ran for the underdog, but never voted. I didn't know for whom to vote! I didn't belong anywhere but was comfortable everywhere. Now I am here. I chose Barcelona to live for a while. God only knows how long. But i hope I'll make it worth while.