I AM NEARLY 14 YEARS OLD
31/7/2025
This is a rather embarrassing photo of me from 2011. Taken back in September of that year, I can be seen at my table at The Healing Light Festival in Cornwall. My second ever fair after just starting up. My first was in the same month in Tavistock, Devon. I was 50 then, had worked several months beforehand gathering pace and finally showcasing my ideas, my creativity in public for the first time. I had started PositiveLife Images and my images were designed to be more inspirational / motivational with a spiritual nature.
Having not long finished a part-time college course on the basics of digital photography and editing / effects software, I had looked around for inspiration to kick things off with. Earlier, I had, for some reason, become very interested in spirituality and in particular, the teachings of Buddhism. I had a Buddha statue in nearly every room in the house and I decided to try my new skills on those. My artwork back then was fairly basic as I didn't have all the software and skills that I have now. Of course I naturally thought that PositiveLife Images was to stick around for many years and I couldn't really see it evolving beyond what I had envisioned and created. Well, I suspect that is the case for most small start-ups. I thought that was it! I remember my first two or three fairs were going to be crucial in determining how my fledgling artwork and business would be perceived to the general public. And how I might get some idea as to whether it would be successful or not. But, these things do take time. I remember also that I should have been very nervous - but really I wasn't, despite the fact that I had never sold anything in public before. I had been more used to sitting around in the corporate workspace earning money in the so called "proper job", with my alter ego office persona dominating my working life. At least by becoming an artist in the Mind Body Spirit arena of alternative thinking and ideas (that I had been very attracted to since the early 1990's) I felt liberated and could finally move ahead with the nagging feeling that I just had to be either creative or become a holistic practitioner - having previously attained a Reiki Level 2 certification. But it was art that finally chose me! But I had nothing to fear. The first few fairs were very enjoyable experiences despite feeling a little shy. Yes, if anything I was shy rather than nervous! So here you see the shy 50 year old rubbing shoulders with well established stall holders in the MBS community and I remember that at this particular event I had the honour of having my placement next to the amazing and already established artist Izumi Omori. I think she inspired me.....!
So, here we are 14 years later and how the time has flown. I have been through many changes in business name too. Fourteen years later and Ian David Spencer - Visionary Artist is here and here to stay. And when I look back, I see how my work has changed, evolved. I see how it has more depth, has become more multi-dimensional, more multi-layered, more mystical, more fantastical, more spiritual going beyond just wisdom and insights. Heck, I'd say my work has risen to new heights - even created more from the perspective of a higher consciousness? And 14 years later I am here to serve you with my inspiring and beautiful art that I am sure will bring some wonderment into your space. I create more from the heart and soul than ever before and I hope that a little of my artistic soul finds its way into your space. I'm not one anymore. I am 14 and here's to the next 14 years!