Mobile Photography & Art – ‘Intimate Interview’ with Becky Menzies from London, Ontario, Canada

Although I loved every art class throughout elementary and secondary school, and was encouraged often by my very talented mother to continue to explore my artistic nature as a young adult, I convinced myself I could never achieve her level of artistic ability. Instead, I pursued sports, and for a long time thought a career in law like my father would be my life’s path.

My Grade 4 teacher liked something about my nine-year-old artistic interpretations and suggested to my parents that I participate in an after-school art workshop. My mother readily agreed, and the seed of artistic recognition by someone outside of family was planted.

However, sports began to consume more of my time, and awards and recognitions emerged mainly from my athletic endeavours.

It wasn’t until recently (aka much later in life) that art finally settled itself back into my life in the form of digital, acrylic painting, fused glass, and textile art expressions. My first recognition as a digital artist happened in 2018 when one of my digital art submissions was accepted as part of the New Era Museum “Forced Captivity” exhibition in Paris, France.

My first unpaid job took place in my early teens when I worked as a volunteer for a few summers at a nearby school that provided programming for children with developmental needs. Paid positions at a children’s camp in the summer, and as a student campus security officer during the school year, helped pay for my years at university.

Publicly funded education.

University.

My mother was my sounding board throughout my life. She was thrilled to hear about my successes, listened patiently when I was problem solving, and propped up my flagging soul made raw by a ragged divorce and custody battle during my late-twenties. However, as one who did not suffer fools, she did not hesitate to tell me what I really needed to hear when necessary. Unfortunately, cancer took her away over a decade ago. I have come to realize that my mother didn’t  just show me the specifics of particular artistic skills while I was growing up; rather, she just kept fanning the flame of creativity that she knew would one day catch alight. I miss our chats.

Lately, I have taken a risk, and reached out locally and globally to other artists who inspire me. Each has been very gracious and quite supportive of my efforts to unearth the artistic nuggets inside me that I left unattended for so long.

Given that both my university degree and my first career were in physical and health education, I once had a reasonable fitness foundation. However, during the latter part of my education career, I was a school administrator and system leader, and my current career is in civil service. These more sedentary career shifts have led to a self-inflicted decline my physical fitness levels. My recent attentiveness to health through flexibility, mindfulness, as well as cardio and strength training, is starting to show some positive effects again. My renewed mantra is “one’s mind and body must be healthy, if one wants to pursue one’s passion”.

If ambition includes relentless optimism; the willingness to take risks; the ability to accept and grow from rejection or failure; the determination to “pick yourself up and try again”; continual learning; and, supporting others who share your passion, then ambition matters more.

In my current role as a civil servant, one’s personal political views are often not available for public display. Rather than engaging in formal political action at present, I look for ways to support my personal views on areas such as feminism, equity and inclusivity, anti-racism, cultural competence, and truth and reconciliation through my daily actions and learning.

• Large scale?      World peace
• Medium scale? An never-ending airline ticket that would take me anywhere around the world anytime
• Small scale?       My own art studio

Hunting … hunting for the perfect gift for a family member, the matching antique tea cup, the unique bed cover, the “right” paint brush, the most current digital art app … and, of course, the best storage systems to house (or hide) all my hunting finds.

My first response is that I am most comfortable when I am at home alone in my “zone” creating – that makes me very happy.  And, yet, when I do step away from my comfort zone and travel abroad with my current husband, we inevitably take in some breathtaking vista and smile together with gratitude and awe – and that, too, makes me very happy.

• To continue to learn
• To take more risks and submit more art for possible recognition in future exhibitions
• To create my own art studio
• To stay healthy
• To stay connected those who help me be a better version of me

The positive impact that:

• My support to family and friends has on their well-being
• The joy of creating has on my own well-being

Three things:

• Watching my daughter experience happiness and success in her adult life
• Marvelling at the success and resilience of my second marriage despite the many months we spend apart every year due to my husband’s work abroad
• Surviving a parachute dive in my mid-twenties during which my parachute wouldn’t open and I had to do some darn good problem solving on the way down in a short amount of time. The chute eventually opened, by the way.

People who cut you off mid-story and … “That reminds me of the time when I … “.

“Who knew?”

Four milk cartons of vinyl LPs … I know … ugh …

The intense polarisation of viewpoints that immediately objectifies others, resists the examination of other perspectives, shuts down middle ground discussions and problem solving, and deadens the achievement of viable humanistic solutions.

I do wonder if there are energies and frequencies that are activated within us when a significant person in our life passes away. And, is it possible that these activated “vibes” give us the capacity to influence our circumstances, or the people around us, without our realising we are doing so?

For instance, how often have we believed that a loved one has paid us a visit when we experience a chance encounter with a stranger? Or believed a particular moment in time that impacted us deeply was sent to us by a loved one? Or, believed that the time we managed to avoid severe injury was because a loved one was watching over us?

Maybe “afterlife” isn’t about our own after-death experience when we pass away.

Maybe “afterlife” is about our ability to live on after our death through the legacy of energy that is generated and experienced by those we love and have left behind.

And, look at that. There’s that special paintbrush I haven’t been able to find for a while. Thanks, Mum!

I would say an “8”. And like a good glass of single malt Scotch, it certainly gets better as my time passes.

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