I was recently lucky enough to be asked to participate in a video called "Finding Your Style" and to explain WHY I create art.
I loved this invitation to stop and consider WHY I do what I do. I found it a really useful practice to ensure that I am aligned and heading in the direction I really want to go in. So I sat down and asked myself “Why?" and realised that it's selfish!
I paint for my wellbeing.
It nourishes me deeply and centres me. I know from experience that when I don’t create my mental state suffers. I feel the same way about getting into nature. As my world became smaller and more based around the home, initially from having children and then in a more extreme way through the experience of lockdown, I found that with practice, even a tiny element of nature can have the transportive and healing effect that a sweeping vista has.
I am passionate about conservation, trying to lessen our catastrophic human impact on the planet and learning more about the flora and fauna on my doorstep is part of me learning to appreciate what thrives where I live. I am a real amateur at identification and am better at marvelling at the wonder of plants and creatures rather than remembering facts about them, but I love to learn and my art is a vehicle to expand my knowledge.
My latest pieces fuse the meditative quality of observational painting, the grounding effect of nature and the magic of casting a spell. Bringing together ingredients that can be read across time to conjure up deep healing for me, and I hope the viewer and the planet.
Grand aims from a selfish start!
So that's my why. Why do you do what you do? What gets you out of bed each day? I’d love to know what motivates you!n Sometimes realising your why ties together and makes sense of apparently disparate activities in your life. (Comment below)
Here's the video I participated in by Jane Dieu. I am at 7 minutes 40!
