The trademark of a true artist

is their ability to turn garbage into gold dust.

An artist adds value to that which has none.

A paintbrush is worth pennies at a supermarket,

but would be worth millions if handled by Picasso.

A biro pen wouldn’t get a second glance,

unless that biro pen belonged to J.K Rowling.

From the beginning of time,

humans have built cities from the dirt and water found underneath their feet.

These materials are cheap,

yet the those who decide to mix the mud with their creativity

build empires.

The junkyards on the outskirts of our city

will teach us that we have lost that ideology.

In the midst of the discarded toys and electronics,

you can see that the junkyard is a metaphor for the city itself.

We are a people never truly satisfied,

always in pursuit of the new.

Always a new job.

Always a new car.

Always some new Jordans.

Always a new rack of clothes.

Always a new life.

We punish ourselves with desires of what could be,

and are never truly thankful for what’s in front of us.

Under the illusion that these objects bring value to us,

rather than understanding that we bring value to the objects.

I took inspiration from Midas

when I grabbed unused goods in my house,

and spray painted them gold;

putting them in random places in my local area.

The golden objects served no purpose,

other than to trigger an alarm in the minds of those who saw it.

Why is it here?

Who put it here?

Why is it gold?

Is it real gold?

Its presence alone took the viewers off autopilot,

and made them more alert to their surroundings.

It was a bit of fun.

My hope was it added value to someone’s day.

All you need is a £4 spray can and a box of old items

to set up an art exhibition for your neighbours to enjoy.

In all your pursuits, always remember:

Creativity is much more fulfilling than consumption.

I’ll rather be creative with a hundred pound,

than wasteful with a thousand.

Look at the money, time,

relationships, and possessions you already have,

and see how you can increase its value

before you seek more of it.

It’s our human instinct to be creators.

To build huts out of the mud.

To make anything that had no value glisten like gold.

To bring beauty out from the ashes.

Change your perceptions.

Look at your surroundings as if it were the first time.

Marvel when you come to realise,

how wealthy you actually are.