Who is Michele Seraphim ~ The Artist

I never knew I was an artist. I just knew that I loved all the things I did and they all just happened to be artistic. It was only five years ago that someone actually called me " an artist". Actually, my reaction at the time was to laugh. Me? Was she talking about me? I mean I was just foolin' around with fabric, pens, paper, inks etc.



So, where did it all begin for me as an artist... what were the stages. I thought it might be interesting to actually take that journey and trace my steps as these steps are not even clear to me. To me I was simply being ME,  living my life and I never really had a plan to become an artist. I just wanted to make others happy and in turn that made me happy... It's as simple as that.

Tonight I went in search of the beginning... where did it all start.

I found that it started in 1971 when I was 4 years old. As you can see my father kept detailed notes of what I was trying to draw and also dated each piece. THANKS DAD!

I got a little older and at the age of 6 was using my Crayola Crayons to add colour and dimension to my drawings

If you will notice that perspective was still a bit of a challenge. The item on the right is most definitely our dining room table set with apples and other wonderful goodies prepared by my Mum. A queen with a beautiful crown. I loved fairy tales...

tell you a secret....

I still do!

This seems to be my wish for a sibling which was a common one that was never fulfilled.

I spent a lot of time alone being an only child and I found my love for drawing, writing and creating the make believe worlds I played in, in my solitude. 

My Grandmother was a wonderful story teller. She knew all the fairy tales by heart with every twist and turn. She always told us the Grimms fairy tales too... a bit scary.

On the back of this picture my father has inscribed:

Commisioned for G.L. de Souza Jr. (that's my dad)

Cinderella in raggedy dress, with holes, scrubbing the floor with a broom and soapy water, contained in a pail full of bubbles. On her feet her only pair of slippers. She is crying because she wished to go to the ball and can't go. I remember him always asking me to tell him about the pictures I had just drawn... how wonderful that he wrote it all down.

This picture was drawn by looking at and trying to duplicate this advertisement for Dairy Queen...

Do you notice anything?

Everything is flipped backwards...

the first signs of my dyslexia which was not diagnosed until I was in my mid 20's.

These are the begining images that started my journey. 

More to come as we follow the yellow brick road

of Michele Seraphim...