What does art and creating artwork mean to me?
A question. This blog post´s title is a question. And it will be followed by quite a lot more of them. Asking questions is so important to learn something about the world but also, even more importantly, to learn about your inner self. More and more, deeper and deeper. With every honest question you ask yourself.
Besides thinking and wondering about plenty of other topics I ponder a lot about art, creativity, the process of creating art and what all of this means to me.
So I decided to write about the questions, thoughts- and yes, also about the answers- I had and have in my mind and heart.
That´s where two very significant aspects are introduced already:
First, that I want to write this blog for you! Because I want to share my thoughts with you and give you something, which is meaningful to me and that hopefully will be meaningful to you as well. In every imaginable way! You can learn from it, you can be inspired by it, you can get an emotional or thoughtful device; or you can just roll your eyes and laugh about it. It´s up to you!
But I love the fusion of expressing myself and doing what I feel and love with sharing it with others who I can give something and who give me back so much too!
With creating art it´s the same. I can bring in my most personal emotions and do autonomously and freely what I want to- but I also always am aware of having an audience and of my possibilities to trigger a reaction. I love that! And I hope you love that too! 😉
Secondly, I have written about questions I have in my mind and heart. The mind is essential for a great artwork, though the heart is even more important. An artist who creates without putting his heart and soul in his or her work will never fabricate something that will be touching, inspiring or interesting at all. Neither the artist nor anyone else will be moved by it.
How can a picture, a painting or a poem make you feel something if the creator hasn´t felt anything while bringing it into being?
I want art and the process of creating it to be fulfilling! In multiple ways! For me and for everyone who is experiencing the work of art!
That is what I believe so I will always put my heart into creating art!
Coming back to the questions I opened with: Already I have said why I do art, what it gives me and what I want to reach with it.
Now I`ll tell you what I want to express with making art.
At the beginning of every creative and free process I ask myself: What do I want to do? What do I want to create, what do I want to try, what do I want to deal and engage with?
Therefore I listen to the louder and quieter voices in my mind and heart and help finding out what occupies me by asking: What do I love? What am I afraid of? What do I long for? What am I excited about? And also: What do I want to say?
Of course art can also have reasons and messages of political, critical or societal origin and I am a great fan of that and like to include those messages into my work as well. Only, for me the most important way of doing art is to look into myself, to face my inner, maybe even not accepted fears, wishes and thoughts and to let them free! By doing so, I gain the most fulfilling, honest, meaningful and unique process and artwork! For me as an artist it is that free, brave, open and even surprising and life-enhancing path that I go each time! It is wonderful!!
Daring to face your deepest feelings and thoughts is not always easy. Not at all. But it is always worth it and it gives me so much that I just can´t and don´t want to stop.
I will keep finding out what I fear, what I need, what I want, what I would do if I could.
I will keep enjoying the amazing development from the first idea to the result.
I will always be growing and learning about myself while making art.
I will always be grateful for how rewarding and enriching it is to create something.
I will keep testing and trying, dreaming and daring, wondering and wanting and
I will keep asking questions.
That is what art and creating artwork mean to me.
Hopefully it means something to you too.
I can´t wait to start working on all the other projects and to keep you up to date!
My best wishes and a huge amount of creativity and inspiration to YOU!
Yours,
Carla