Tricia Migdoll


"Drowning in His Arms" by Tricia Migdoll, 2003

     Tricia Migdoll is a friend who lives in Byron Bay, Australia. She has just begun painting in the past year or two, but her work has an astounding "veteran artist" quality. Her images are fresh and dextrously rendered. She, like Lyn and many other wonderful artists I know, loves Meher Baba, and His figure or face often figure prominently in her paintings:

       Intrigued by the power of Tricia's work, I recently asked her how she became an artist. Here is her reply:

     I always had this dream to be a painter. Kind of like how some girls
want to be movie stars - or fashion models. It was something out 
there that I never thought would ever really happen. I suppose I was
a tiny bit above average in the arts at high school, but there was no 
encouragement coming from anywhere for me to pursue it. 

     Then about 12 months ago, at the age of 54,  I read a book by 
Margaret Atwell called "Cat's Eye". She was writing in the first person 
of an artist who was going back to her hometown in Canada for an 
exhibition of her work. She takes us back into her childhood, and you
grow up with her in the reading of the book. At the end of the story, 
she has her exhibition & many of the people in the story are in her 
paintings.
 
     This story put a fire in my belly to paint a favourite scene from my 
own childhood - of my sister & I running down the street to meet my
dad as he came home from work.

     Soon after this I was chatting to some women on line who were
artists & I told them of this longing I had. They told me to just "do it". 
I told them that I wouldn't know where to start - and they said they 
would help me. They told me what to buy to set myself up & said I 
should find some local art workshops to go to.
 

     Still hesitant, I wandered into the local art store & picked up a 
brochure on some workshops. In there I read: " If you can pick up a 
paintbrush, you can paint." - a quote by one of the art teachers, 
Rene Bolten. I immediately rang the organiser & booked my first 
workshop. This was a workshop on the principles of colour, which was 
a fabulous place to start. Next was a workshop with Rene Bolten, a 
charming man with a childlike enthusiasm that one could not help 
catching.
     Since then, I have not stopped painting. I found that I could just
"do it". Rene did not even show me how - he just inspired us & I 
simply tried to keep up & found that I could.
 
     I have so much yet to learn to imitate my favourites like Vermeer, & 
Bougeureau & Sir Alma-Tadema. But in the meantime, my life has 
changed dramatically with this new passion. I believe that my 
inspiration comes from my Beloved Master, Avatar Meher Baba, who 
seems to guide my brush with every stroke. Each time I start a painting, 
I still don't really believe I can do it - but I have grown courageous, and 
although not even remotely perfect, I enjoy immensely doing the best 
that I can.
 
     All I can say now, is that dreams do come true. If anyone out there has 
a dream, I would urge them to go for it.
 
     Tricia Migdoll

     ps: The following poem, which I think is really cool, came off the  
Art Workshop website that I go to:
               

REDISCOVERY
(of the joy of painting)
I had forgotten the feel of you
the smell of you
the joy of you
how could I have left you alone
for so long
I thought about you often
when I did my eyes would soften
still the time was not yet right
I dreamt of you at night
now that you're here inspiring me again
I run my hands over your luscious buttery smoothness 
spreading, caressing, blessing the day we met 
changing you while still wet
© Maritza - January 1994



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