A perfect storm of circumstances conspired
to shape me into a ‘survivor’. First, but not necessarily in this order, I am
an artist. As my peers will tell you, you need to be tough to ‘be’ an artist –
for a number of reasons - among which the lack of money figures predominantly. But
also because you have to be a bit belligerant and cultivate a thick skin –
everyone is an art critic, whether they know anything about it or not (usually
not).
Second – I was raised by my Dutch
grandmother who lived out the second world war in occupied Holland – very close
to the German border. She grew up in a middle class family and learnt about
frugality the hard way. She was a young woman with 2 small children when the
war broke out - that 5 years shaped the remainder of her life. She passed the
lesson onto her children. Most of them didn’t take it on board but I took it to
heart – probably because it resonated with my own nature.
Third and maybe most critically, I was born
in the Chinese Year of the Rat. Rats are born survivors and I am no different.
I am always aware of my surroundings, I sit facing the door and have
worked out all the exit routes before most people know there is anything going
down. If there is a whiff of trouble, follow the rat – they don’t get their
reputation for being the first to leave a sinking ship for nothing. At
exhibition openings I am the first to head for the grub and get stuck in before
I go and look at the art. You have to get your priorities right if you want to
be a survivor.
Although I am definitely not wealthy by Western
living standards I can afford to buy new clothes. But I much prefer Op Shops –
there is something very satisfying about tracking down that unique little
treasure at a bargain price. Where’s the challenge in heading for a rack of
boringly similar items? I don’t want to wear what everyone else is wearing
anyway. I am also in the habit of salvaging other people’s lost items. The
thongs I am currently wearing were found at the beach. I haven’t bought a beach
towel for – well – ever! I don’t steal things, I give it a couple of days to
see if anyone claims the item before I take it home and add it to my stash.
This is a very Rat thing – which you will
know if you have ever found a rat’s nest under your house or in a cupboard.
Rats will collect things that seem absolutely useless to anyone else – but
that’s where the resourceful bit comes in – you never know when something will
come in handy – and it has on many occasions. When I lived with my mother as a
small child she used to regularly clear out my stash when I was at school. I
would come home and wail that someone had ‘froan out all my good stuff’ and
head to the bin to retrieve it. As a mature person I have trained myself to
curb this natural tendency, but I will often still pick up bits of blue plastic
on the beach out of habit.
I am resilient and resourceful and, at
times, I can be ruthless – these are good Rat words because they also begin
with R. I am calculating but not because I want to take advantage of anyone. My
code for life is that, where possible, any transaction should be mutually
beneficial to both parties. I love
working out ways to make that happen – it’s the best kind of problem solving –
doing the sums, negotiating – it is creative and maybe that’s why I like it so
much.
Finding creative solutions is in a Rat's blood,
it is essential for making art and for survival as well.
