I have been painting since 2007 and still keep most of my early works. Recently, in an effort to declutter, I began revisiting the collection—deciding what to let go of, what to recycle, and what might be upcycled into something new.

One piece, in particular, caught my eye. It commemorates the exhilaration and memory of completing my first full marathon, and it is aptly titled 42.195. An artist friend, upon seeing it, laughed warmly as he noted how my mark-making today still echoes what I did back then. Perhaps there is some truth to the saying, “A leopard doesn’t change its spots.”

As for me, I find myself longing for those early days—when I painted with no knowledge of theory or technique, only instinct.  Clueless, I was uninhibited and painted from a place of wonder—wild, raw, and free, like a child at play.

The best part? This painting remains one of my favourites. I share it freely, because it still speaks to something joyful and true within me. In keeping it, I honour my roots—and the artist I have become.