Woman in melancholia, 2004

• Medium
  Oil on chipboard
• Dimensions
  70.5 × 50 cm

This painting is in memory of artist, painter Ausma Goldberga.
Goldberga was a founder and head of Dundaga Art school hosted in Dundaga Castle. She gave her life to the school and kids studying there, working days and nights, believing in the future of new talents.

One day she said "you (kids in the class) inspired me and I stayed late night here, and returned to paint too".
She teached "each centimeter of the panning should be in a different color, even if it looks like the same".

Ausma Goldberga was my first art teacher, leading my art studies in Dundaga Art school for 8 years. She believed in me, and prepared me for JRRMV, knowing high expectations competition would be ahead for it. She teached me extra time, late evenings, teached me also in the summertime, not taking money for it knowing my parents don't have enough money to pay for it. As for the "Thanks" Goldberga told "you will paint me when you will become a famous artist".
Thank G-od the effort was not in vain, and I was the first one in Dundaga and Dundaga Art school history to get into JRRMV art college, and I succeeded there.

Years after I heard sad news - Goldberga was kicked out from her own founded art school. She was completely broken and fell into a deep depression. I kept my promise and I went to visit and paint her. She looked like a body without life in it, a body without emotions, no smile, no tiers, she looked deeply into a single point, told me pills were the only thing holding her together.
I still feel heartbroken for her. I hope my life and art makes her soul feel peaceful and happy.
I don't have a picture of the painting created that day, but this painting is very much what reminded me about her sorrow.