My earliest memory

I vividly remember looking at hummingbirds humming around the giant Ixora occinea plant in front of me. This flowery plant; the national ‘flower’ of Suriname, was blooming with tubular, scarlet flowers in round clusters. This clearly seemed to be the favorite food for the hummingbirds as it attracted many of them throughout the day.

My fascination only increased as I focused on one magnificent colorful specimen of a hummingbird and tried to the best of my ability to analyze and really comprehend what I was looking at.

As I stood there, it was as if I was hypnotized by both the bright colors as well as the speed of the movement of the hummingbird’s wings. In my mind, this moment seemed to last quite a long time, as I don’t remember ever having focused that long on one subject until then.

In the end, I could not explain the wonder I was witnessing and decided right then and there that it is a miracle. This was the moment that I accepted wonder in my life. Without feeling the need to explain every wondrous thing I encounter; a rule I still live by to this day.

Come to think of it, this is also the role my creations play in my life. I accept them as being created through a wondrous process without having to explain what they mean by narrowing them down to a one-dimensional meanings.

Even though I have since then come to understand much more about hummingbirds (see comment below). But to be honest, I still consider them as much a miracle today as I once did as a curious 4-year-old boy.

Ever since I was a toddler, there were 2 things that infinitely intrigued me: Hummingbirds and art, more specifically, intricately detailed drawings. I was, and to this day still am, fascinated by both. Interestingly enough, both have been connected since the start of my personal journey.

I remember standing barely outside, on the steps of the veranda, to the backyard of of my grandfather’s house in the city where I was born, Paramaribo, Suriname. I must have been 4 years old, incidentally the same age my son Colin who is also fascinated by hummingbirds. (I wrote this in 2024 as a IG post. He is currently is 6 years old).