by Krystyna C. Laycraft
I started my artistic journey thirty-two years ago. At the time, I was a scientist at the University of Calgary, studying the beautiful Aurora Borealis. After five years, my work with the Aurora Borealis came to an end because the satellite’s camera stopped working. This made me rethink my path, and I chose to open a high school for international students. A few years into running the school, I found myself feeling worn out.
My close friend, Dr. Helen Diemert, saw that I was struggling and invited me to take her course on the fundamental arts. I gladly accepted, hoping it would make a difference in my life. I enjoyed every project we did. On weekends, I went to Kananaskis Country to spend time in nature, where I observed, sketched, and took photos of anything that interested me. The beauty of the place amazed me. In class, we shared our work and learned how to give helpful feedback. My excitement for creativity grew, and I knew I would keep making art after the course finished.
The next big step in my artistic journey was choosing to hand over the school to my family and move to my husband’s ranch in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It felt like I had found paradise. For our wedding, Brian gave me a dog. I named her Baba, which means grandma in Polish. Each day, I walked the rolling hills with her and enjoyed every moment.
I began sketching the twisted trees, fascinated by the wild shapes I saw in nature. My mind filled with ideas for a big project, and I felt a burst of creative energy, ready to come alive. One day, Brian brought me to a beautiful spot with a view of the Porcupine Hills. I was amazed and asked out loud what I should paint. When Brian heard me, he suggested painting the sky. That was when my journey to paint the sky began. I chose to use pastels, excited to try to capture all the colours I saw.
Each morning, I got up before sunrise, hoping to catch that short, special moment. My heartbeat faster as I watched the fields fill with beautiful colours. I took lots of photos to use later for my pastel drawings. This routine made waking up early feel rewarding.
I also loved watching the sunset. Brian’s house was on a hill and had big windows facing east and west, so I could see the sky even if the weather wasn’t good.
Every day, I looked forward to sunset. To the west, we could see the Rocky Mountains, and the sun would slowly rise above them, lighting up the mountains and hills just like it did in the morning. These moments felt magical, and I cherished them.
Now, more than thirty years later, I am a full-time artist. Over the years, creativity has meant different things to me. At first, it helped me deal with anxiety and gave me energy to run a school. Later, my love of nature inspired me to paint and write poetry. As time went on, creativity became a way to share my thoughts, memories, and experiences, and I tried to show abstract ideas in my art. The more I created, the more satisfied and fulfilled I felt.
Creativity still guides my life. As I get older, it has become even stronger and now connects with my interests in psychology, philosophy, and spirituality. It pushes me to try new techniques and find new ways to express myself.