Quietly whispering for my luggage to weigh less than 20kg, I anxiously face the check-in screen of Ryanair at Dublin’s airport. My attention veers off briefly as my mother dramatically fills up my lad’s rucksack with snacks. Any attempt to disagree would only fall on indifferent ears and I exchange a knowing glance with my silent yet grin-ridden father, who is watching his grandchild with affection.
Suppressing my chuckle, I focus back onto the screen that held my fate… 19.8kg. Sigh of relief! Thankfully, it means I do not have to discard any of my valuable paint.
My son, Wolfe, aged five, and myself are preparing to return to Hungary following a weekend family visit in Lucan, County Dublin. During our stay, I also had the opportunity to discover parts of Dublin portrayed vividly in James Joyce’s Ulysses, and to procure some art supplies.
My frequent travel activity involves bringing an expansive, foldable canvas bag that returns fully loaded, bursting with paint from a local art store, books, Tayto crisps, Barry’s tea, smoked salmon, Jameson whiskey for my Hungarian spouse, László, and a neat selection of items from Penney’s.
We reside in Nyíregyháza-Sóstóhegy, László’s birthplace, situated 250km east of Budapest. I relish the life here, especially for children.
A brief bike ride takes us to local attractions like a water park, zoo, playgrounds, and a bathing lake to cool off, necessary when summer can often exceed 35 degrees. If you happened to watch RTÉ’s Best Place to Be, you might have seen Baz Ashmawy exploring more about my ongoing, 20-year Ulysses art project.
Presently, I am working on creating a unique piece of art for each page of Joyce’s literary masterpiece, Ulysses. As the novel boasts 933 pages, my series, dubbed ‘Colours of Ulysses’, is projected to need over two decades to be fully executed. I have just completed #064, the final page of Episode III, leaving a remaining 869 to go! Why, you ask?
Upon commencing my journey with the book Ulysses, I was met with a vibrant spectrum of hues leaping from each page, a feature I felt compelled to archive. The book maintains my bond with Dublin, further enhanced by the notable Hungarian links, as I navigate through the complexities of raising my Dublin-native son overseas. Interestingly, Joyce had been an expatriate during the period he initiated the crafting of Ulysses in Trieste, Italy, then a fragment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
My son shares this discernible Irish Hungarian heritage with the main fictitious persona in Ulysses, Leopold Bloom, whose father, Rudolph Bloom, hailed from Szombathely in western Hungary, and was originally known as Virág – a term synonymous with flower in Hungarian.
Upon relocating to Dublin, Rudolph altered his name from Virág to Bloom. Intriguingly, Virág holds significance as both a given name and surname within Hungarian culture and, coincidentally, the name of my debut local art aficionado, who procured artwork #034 at my inaugural local art exhibit the previous December.
As the Bloomsday 2024 festivities approach, I anticipate presenting my latest Ulysses-inspired pieces at our community heritage site and the residence of the Ambassador of Ireland to Hungary, as a part of his annual Bloomsday celebration.
My aspiration is to someday showcase my work in Dublin. Until that day, I dutifully update my Instagram and Facebook followers with my progress and disclose my newest creations via email (natalieforresterart@gmail.com).
With nearly half of the original pieces being purchased primarily through my website, a growing community of ex-pat Irish clientele, Joyce devotees, and art enthusiasts is forming a unique, exclusive network of 933 members. These members are effectively generating a valuable heirloom for their own families. Among these members is Wolfe, the owner of artwork #003, influenced by Joyce’s famous portrayal of the “snot green” Irish Sea.
I frequently receive advanced orders for lucky numbers, birthdays, and such, and unsurprisingly, artwork #069 has already been reserved. However, I am particularly excited to create the artwork for page #100, as Joyce references Guinness, a beverage I personally enjoy. Moreover, it evokes fond memories from my stint at the National College of Art & Design (NCAD). Back then, the aroma of brewing hops from St James’s Gate would permeate our campus, providing a unique backdrop as my friend, Triona Glennon, and I engaged in creative brainstorming sessions.
Do note my appreciation for The King’s Hospital School as it ignited my imaginative capabilities, but it was my education at NCAD that stimulated a powerful creative resurgence almost two decades on. This rejuvenation inspired the initiation of my project, the Colours of Ulysses Series. I can vividly recall my instructors encouraging me to pursue the unattempted, challenging me to return with a unique concept.
Wolfe and I bid my cherished grandparents a loving goodbye. I was adamant not to show my sorrow as we navigated through the bustling security of Dublin Airport, hearts heavy with sadness.
Deciding to turn my attention to absorbing the familiar lilt of Irish voices and the easy fluency of English, I reminded myself that I would soon be returning to my adopted homeland. Its language is recognised as the fifth most difficult in the world.
In a moment of surrender to my feelings, I ask myself the reason for this path? In an instant of candid self-reflection, the answer surfaces because I, Natalie Forrester, am addicted – addicted to conquering challenges. I shut my eyes to reaffirm my guiding principle: “If your ideas aren’t ridiculed by others, they aren’t bold enough.”
Natali Forrester crossed paths with László, who became her Hungarian spouse, in Merrion Square, Dublin, seven years ago. Their progeny, Wolfe, was born in the green lands of Ireland in 2018. An asset to the creative world, Natali is an abstract painter and yoga instructor.