Yvonne Jongeling

Nail polish got me started. As a kid, I would scrape together a pocket full of nickels by cashing in bottles at Lou’s liquor store, then proudly saunter over to the Zody’s on Valley Blvd to trade my coins for nail polish. Every color of polish. This was my kind of paint, since it stuck to everything and it sparkled.

I covered everything in nail polish, from Barbies to transistor radios. My Dutch parents, still learning the ways of America, were puzzled by their first-born daughter’s artsy tendencies, but they still encouraged me to be independent and creative while plying me with old-world Zoute Drop licorice treats that tasted like wonderful salty car tires. Mmm!

Dixie appeared when I was thirteen. She was my high school art teacher. Dixie helped me to understand how priceless a formal art education could be, and she steered me towards Cal State Long Beach, where I earned a Masters in Art and I have been creating works of art ever since.

In "Uitwaaien: A Walk in the Wind," I utilize the Dutch concept of uitwaaien to feel spiritual and invigorated. My acrylic brushstrokes depict collected moments from my childhood and culture, via images of flowers, handiwork, labels and historical art references. Music is an essential element of my work, and in Uitwaaien: A Walk in the Wind, I chose the songs “Blow Away” by George Harrison, and “The Pink Panther Theme” by Henry Mancini. I've invited the viewer to press the speaker button to listen to the songs while they view the painting. I chose Harrison’s song because it reminds me to seek optimism. Mancini’s theme reminds me of my childhood, when I practiced “The Pink Panther” for hours on the upright piano restored by my carpenter father.

So go ahead. Find your uitwaaien, feel the wind blowing and be happy. Blow away, blow away, blow away!