♡ Art & Emotion: Imagine the ‘Unimaginable’.
Creativity became my quiet rebellion
There were times, as a little girl, when I truly believed anything was possible — that maybe we were all just dreaming this life. Even during the most difficult moments, I found strength in one thing: imagination. I would imagine the unimaginable — painting colours into grey spaces, turning silence into stories, my emotions and experiences into paintings, and even building theatrical worlds where I played every role: actor, director, and set designer, all in one.
When my father was angry and loud — which happened often — I would quietly set up a little theatre for my younger sister. I wanted to calm her, distract her, and bring some peace into our world. It was just us, and my play. My escape. Our safety net. Even then, creativity wasn’t just art — it was survival, protection, and hope.
Growing up under the restrictions of the Communist era and with an emotionally distant, often critical father, creativity became my quiet rebellion — a place where I could be me. The rules outside didn’t apply in my inner world. I created my own universe — one where magic lived in the mundane.
But alongside that magic, there were also voices.
One was my father’s, and his words still echo from time to time:
“You are nobody. You will not achieve anything.”
He wanted a son — but got a dreamy daughter instead. A daughter with her head in the clouds and stars in her eyes… and yet, tough as a cookie. Maybe I didn’t fit his expectations, but I grew into someone resilient, expressive, and fiercely imaginative. I built a life across countries and oceans — with art, poetry, and purpose — and eventually opened a gallery to share that vision with others.
Childhoods
Recently, I was reminded just how powerful our inner stories can be. During a heartfelt conversation with one of our represented artists, Janet Besancon, she spoke about her painting “Childhoods” — a piece rich with layered meaning and memory. Her story unlocked something deep within me.
“Childhoods painting speaks of the inner tension every immigrant can feel — between the love for their homeland and the joy of living in a beautiful, peaceful country like Australia. I grew up in the Champagne region, and this landscape evokes those memories. I’ve blended French and Australian pigments (from Gumbaynggirr country), as I now live and raise my children here. Our childhoods are different, yet intertwined. I also used gold pigments, because somehow, even as a child watching the sunset, I already knew — without really knowing — that one day, I would follow the sun to where it would lead me.”
– Janet Besancon
There’s a story in every artwork — some artists bravely share them, while others hold them quietly until the time is right.
Janet’s painting brought me back to a memory I had almost forgotten.
I must’ve been around seven. My mum had just bought a globe. I was fascinated by it — spinning it gently, tracing invisible journeys with my finger. One day, I intuitively pointed to a faraway land I had never seen or known much about.
“Hmm… I’d love to see this place,” I whispered.
It was Australia.
Then I saw New Zealand — to me, it looked like the end of the world. “Wow… this green land! Is it really all green?” I thought.
And just as the dream was beginning to take shape, I heard the voice of doubt — my mum’s in my head, and my sister smirking beside me:
“It’s too hard and too far to go to. You’ll never manage.”
That moment of sadness never fully left me. I remember silently wishing for a world with no borders — where people could go wherever their hearts took them. I found it painfully unfair that we were expected to stay in one place for life. But I didn’t stay.
At 16, I began to explore.
By 20, I moved to England.
Then I lived in New Zealand for a decade.
And today?
I live in that once-distant dot on the globe — Australia.
I made the unimaginable real.
“Everything you can imagine is real.” – Pablo Picasso
Art has taught me to embrace life with a “Yes, and…” mindset — to build on every moment, every turn, every opportunity. To be fluid and fearless.
To imagine the unimaginable is an act of courage. Of hope. Of trust.
As I often say:
Be like water — let it flow. Let your inner self speak. Let beauty find you in whatever form it appears.
Even in dusty corners. Even in hard times. Beauty finds a way — just as we do.
This month, I’ve found myself reflecting on the people we meet on this artistic path. Like Janet, whose deeply soulful work and stories I’m so honoured to share through my gallery. We connected instantly — proof that when we live with intention and openness, we truly attract like-minded souls.
These connections shape our lives, just as our creative expressions shape our healing.
So, as we settle into this cooler season, let art be your warmth. Let it inspire you. Let it remind you of your dreams — even the ones you buried long ago.
✧ Winter Exhibition: Hues & Verses
On now at Mira Corbova Art Gallery – until 31st July
A poetic, multi-sensory exhibition exploring healing, renewal, and joy through colour, nature and words.
✧ Coming Soon: Awakenings – Opening September
An uplifting spring collection featuring new works by Janet Besancon and fellow ‘Art & Emotion’ artists.
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With imagination and heart,
Mira Corbova
Founder | Artist | Curator – Mira Corbova Art Gallery
