Casting off my black and white view of the world has probably been my longest and slowest learning experience. I remember at 18 or so being shocked and confused by the suggestion that people can be good and bad at the same time. It’s taken almost 3 years for me to make any headway in understanding that.

I think I’ve made some progress, though. Perhaps not enough, yet, but a good amount. In doing so I have recognised and come to accept my own dark side – that I have one, and that it will always be a part of me. The more I reject it, the more I become it; I have learned, instead, to simply observe it, and accept its presence.

I was raised by sadistic and arrogant parents. therefore that is an aspect of my personality. That doesn’t mean, though, that I AM sadistic and arrogant. If I had gone on denying that I had a dark side, then eventually I would have become it. I think that ultimately I am a kind and generous person who really wants the best for others.

Accepting my own dark side helps me accept the dark side in others, such as former friends and lovers. They are not evil, horrible people. We just happen to lock into negative grooves around each other, and therefore, cannot grow together. That’s okay.

It’s interesting, that for a long time, I leaned very heavily on black and white in my art. Over the last few months, I have done away with these altogether and use mostly green and orange instead.