Artistic Style - Beauty or the Beast

History has shown us that we as a society and individuals are always pushing the envelope of known boundaries in all aspects of life, whether it be science, technology, medicine, or art. The evolution of art since the time early man made cave drawings to the present time when art can be fashioned from anything from recycled trash to intricate mosaic tiles and from oils and brushes to graffiti drawn with cans of spray paint, has been to push what we are comfortable with viewing and asking ourselves, "What made the artist do that?". On the flip side of this coin are those artists, and I count myself in this category, of which much of the world has been seen through the years, measured not so much in time, but in events, both tragic and wonderful. At this point, the knowledge of what we are capable of in terms of horror and destruction has turned our inner vision into a place of peace and renewal. Where the baton for social commentary has been turned over to those ready to take it and move forward with it, while introspection and the need to see the beauty of what lies inside us are needed by other artists. I choose to make art that doesn't descry social injustice, I have been lamenting that all my life, but instead, I want to give the weary souls who do it now a respite from it by allowing them to see something valuable in beautiful color or a pleasant scene. Because while we need to always be aware that change to make things better always needs to be looked at under a magnifying glass, we all also need to know that we need an oasis away from the turmoil, and nature and art gives us that calm to weather the storms. Now, in this stage of my life, my soul yearns for the beauty in a world that can be dark with despair, and my art gives me the ability to convey that message. A message of hope and beauty now and into the future. I believe we need to see art that is interesting, beautiful and thoughtful, to ease our souls in turbulent times. It is a blessing that bathes the soul in serenity for a brief interlude, a quiet moment of freedom to let our mind bask in memory of an image that gives us joy.

So while my art may not be the basis of a societal message of change or to point out the wrongs of mankind, what I hope it does is help the brain to know that there is still joy and light in the midst of the dark forces that seem to surround us, and that indeed that experience is worth it to enjoy, for our own mental and physical health, and that of the world at large too. The soul needs a balm, just as a wound needs a bandage, and art can be that balm when needed.

Perfection in Imperfection

I was discussing with a friend the dilemma I was having about using a vintage brooch that I loved and wanted to design with, but it had a few minor flaws to it that though apparent, really didn't detract from the beauty and individuality of the design. At least that is the way I thought of it.

Now I don't have a set formula for what I require in a brooch or beads or any other embellishments, it just has to strike an inner chord of mine that stirs my imagination. That could be the unique design, the color, the material it is made from, or some other interesting qualities, and in that moment I am careful to look for imperfections as well. However, I never discount a piece if I find one or two things wrong with it because I am not looking for perfection in a piece that is old and may have been a beloved piece of someone in the past and used often for that reason. Don't misunderstand, I have many brooches that are perfect and I love those as well, however, those that are flawed truly show me what women of the past used and cared about and that is what drives the decision to get it even when it has had a small mishap or two along the way. I repair what I can when it is possible without being obvious or if it's not too complicated, but even if the flaw remains, it is still endearing to me because I know that its history was remarkable in some way to someone. I can just imagine the stories these lovely pieces of jewelry could tell if they could only speak.

Even though they sit silently waiting for the next phase of their future, and no one really knows much of their past, they do talk to those that listen and let them know that like people, they can endure much and still manage to maintain a beauty all their own and hold secrets only to be imagined and never told.