Finding Home through Art - my colorful journey
- Froso Eracleous
- May 15
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 3
Owning a blog was never on my bucket list, but here i am now, trying something outside my confort zone. Somewhere between being an artist, a hobby gardener, and a woman on a quest for self-discovery, I embarked on a new adventure: finding home.
Turning 33 last year was a moment of realization for me, not because I’m getting older (I actually enjoy the process), but because of the things I thought I’d experience by now. When I left my family home to study abroad, one thought kept me going through the tough times: “No matter what, I won’t go back..I need to see more of this world.” Even now, thinking back makes me grin.
Long story short, after 15 years of exploring (not necessarily places), I’ve checked off many things on my to-do list. Ironically, most weren’t even on the list to begin with..except for one: working as a teacher (at least I gave it a shot!).
After six years of studying, working and living in Greece, I had to leave that beautiful country to find a more financially stable place to live. Though I know it was the right decision, I sometimes imagine what my parallel life would look like if I’d stayed. So fast forward, in 2015 I moved to Germany, a country I had never visited before. The only German phrase I knew was “Ich liebe dich” (I love you), and I had no idea what to actually expect. If you’ve ever relocated, you might understand the whirlwind of thoughts in my head: “This is only temporary until I figure out where I really want to start my life.”
Well, ten years later, I’m writing this from my sweet, little, beautiful garden, still in Germany and still having that strong feeling of moving on. Actually, I should check the definition of temporary again!
The reason I’m sharing this is to take you along on my journey. A journey that began when I quit my “secure” teaching job to embrace the artist I’ve always been. Somewhere between my paints and gardening tools, I’m searching for a place I can truly call “home.” The funny part is, I’ve started to see every opportunity as a colorful brushstroke on a blank canvas. Who knows how my life’s artwork will turn out, surely it will always remain a work in progress.
Many of my paintings reflect this journey, while others depict a vision of how I imagine my life. Through these pieces, I hope to capture both the beauty of the present and the dreams of a brighter future.
Over time, I’ve started living my life with more curiosity than fear. I observe my surroundings more intentionally, noticing the subtle changes in the garden, the way light hits my studio wall, or how an unexpected moment can change the course of my day. Having a garden and being an artist is, to me, the perfect combination. It teaches me patience, plants won’t grow faster just because I’m in a hurry, and not every canvas needs to be finished in a day.
What fascinates me is the balance between control and chaos. In the garden, I plan and nurture, yet nature always has the final say. Similarly, in art, I may start with a vision, but sometimes an accidental brushstroke reveals an entirely new perspective, one I hadn’t seen before, yet needed to discover. I’ve learned to embrace the mess, to appreciate the process, and to welcome the unexpected.
This chapter of my life is about more than settling down; it’s about settling into myself. Maybe that’s what "home" really means after all.
