Good evening my dear friends!
The end of the year is just around the corner and I wanted to write something simple about everyday life here before 2024 rolls in. It’s a fact that the year just passed I was forced to write two articles a month. At first this made me uncomfortable because I wanted you to be more in touch with the day-to-day of my life here, but really so much happened in 2023 one after the other (many times at the same time!) that the facts, the mood were constantly changing. me and my inspiration. Also if I took you to a reality soon it would change and so I thought maybe I would confuse you and become tiresomely detailed if I kept updating everything that changed.
In 2023 I learned so much and matured so much, condensed meaningful experience in contrast to other periods that I may have been slower to finally learn the lesson about my evolution. I believe many can relate to my own feeling, I feel like it’s a collective thing that concerns most people on the planet. Personally, professionally and financially I found myself many times in questions, disappointments and I was called to take risks. But I always came out stronger, I tried to use the situation to my advantage, to learn something and I always tried to do the best I can with what I have.
I saw dilemmas to be answered, to expose myself as a person and an artist to the public, I placed myself in issues by taking risks with this exhibition. But you know something, ever since I decided to tell the world who I am, really great things have started to happen, doors have opened, people have come… and gone… and I’m sure there’s more to come.
I just want to bring something beautiful into this world. It can be a work of art, a conversation, a movement. I didn’t always succeed, there were times when I made mistakes. But I’m moving forward with the lessons I’ve learned on this roller coaster called LIFE. But even this term “lessons” I don’t know if it’s a good one. In the end I don’t know if we learn who we are, or if we are given the opportunities to create what we want to be.
In the two years I’ve been here I’ve struggled, I didn’t talk about it because I wanted to give you courage and motivation to continue your personal struggle, but the truth is that it’s a big waste to do something that others think is stupid and be far away from your own people. But this journey into the unknown and uncomfortable has made me stronger and wiser… What I want to say is keep believing in yourself, keep trying and forgive yourself. And above all, dare! It’s scary sometimes, but… dare to live! In other words, I try to put it into practice every day. It’s not always easy.
I don’t want to go into more details and I might bore you, let’s go a bit to the present and its issues now. There is some exciting news in my business, some fresh changes! But I will tell you more about this soon, with the passage of the new year. I’m home with a virus right now, I’m doing relatively well, but I’m hoping it’s over soon so I can meet up with my family, which I’ve made special arrangements for, as we’ll all be in the same location this year for the holidays.
After two days in bed doing nothing, in a moment of feeling better and full of inspiration I decided to turn the living room into a temporary painting studio. I wanted to move forward with some projects that have been left in the middle. Yes, it was a bit of a mess here, but it was creative and I’m so glad I did it, I needed it. I’ve been picking up my brushes since at least June and it makes sense when you don’t have a permanent and regular studio… But eventually I’ll paint anyway, in whatever way I can.
The days pass quietly here. In the backyard, my father and I built a hill out of wood. Now that it’s cold enough almost every day, I go back and fill a huge IKEA bag with logs. I climb two flights of stairs with the load, trying my best to keep the weight manageable. It can be quite a tedious process, but the warmth provided by the fireplace is worth it! I cook, read books, listen to music and drink a cup of tea by the fire.
I would like to make a small reference here, to the interview I was given by The Athenian Times, specifically Aristokles Lagos, an inspiring young editor. In a beautiful way through pictures, videos and text he brought my story to more people and I thank him very much for that! My tribute was the first in the Profiles column! So I wish you a good start, Aristokles! If you want to read the article click on the link: https://atheniantimes.gr/prosopografimata-angelina-helioti/
If you’ve read this far, I want to say thank you. It gives extra meaning to my texts if you are here to read them!
Well I guess that’s all I wanted to share for now. You will hear from me after the holidays.
I wish you a merry Christmas and a bright new year!
