I find it utterly baffling to picture who might have filled my brothers head with notions about his supposed artistic prowess during those school years. Whoever it was, their encouragement only led to a completely unwarranted sense of confidence and self-important flair. When my brother announced his newfound talent to our parents, they decided to back him up, enrolling him in an art class. After just a handful of lessons, he declared, rather pompously, that hed learned all there was to know and promptly stopped attending.
Our parents crossed their fingers that hed outgrow his artistic ambitions before finishing secondary school, but he held fast, even trying to get into an art college. Sadlyor perhaps inevitablyhe wasnt accepted; it turned out that his paintings werent exactly everyones cup of tea. But he steadfastly insisted that talent didnt require a degree, and doggedly carried on painting.
Our father, however, disagreed and decided to cut off his financial support, sparking a rather frosty atmosphere at home. Although he was permitted to stay in our parents’ house, he wasnt given a penny for pocket money. Bleakly resigned, he moved out and landed a job as a waiter, still painting on the side. Eventually, he found a girlfriendan admirer of both his art and his egoand moved in with her. One day, someone actually bought one of his paintings, which only puffed up his pride even more. He promptly quit his waiter’s job to paint full-time.
With his wife now the sole breadwinner, they ran into predictable money troubles after she went on maternity leave. He tried working at a coffee shop, but, true to form, left to dive headfirst into the art world again. This artistic devotion meant they didnt even have enough for essentials, like food. Our mother couldnt bear to see her grandson going without, so she stepped in and stocked their pantry.
Eventually, my brother and his wife ended up with three children, still surviving on one income as his wife remained on her extended leave. He kept painting, managing to sell a few works over five years, but lets just say earning a fortune wasnt on the cards.
Their financial situation depended heavily on me and Mum and Dad, as we continued to bankroll their basic needs and help support their growing brood. I suppose you could call us their benefactorsthe struggling artists behind-the-scenes patrons.
