"In the Belly of the Bird" acrylic on wood, 7" x 5.5" "What meaning does doing art have for you?
I have always made things in one way or another
be it photographs which I printed myself, or collage,
or painting, or when in nature, shapes with sticks/
flowers/rocks/earth. Making things is as right as the
rain falling for me. It is who I am as much as how
I walk or the way I twirl my hair. I've never wondered
why I do these things. It is good to wonder.
Making things, painting, gives me balance. It opens up
that door into the world where time stands still. Once
through that door the problems of my life all fall away.
It is bliss. Even when a piece is a struggle or I am
questioning the outcome instead of focusing on the
process, it is always about trusting myself enough to
accept everything just as it is. It is me giving myself
permission to get out of my own way and Play (with
a capital P). It is how I work out my dreams, my
frustrations, my fears. It means I don't need therapy.
It means I can find and I honor myself, which is also
a gift back to my family because I'm not a mean
woman who has had no time to paint.
There was a time when I questioned what I was doing
all this for. I felt selfish for spending the time away from
my children or for spending the money on the supplies
only to give the pieces away or pile them up in my studio.
But when I am not painting or making things I feel
hollow. I feel less than myself. I can still find joy in my
life, in the clouds, in the flowers, in my family, in
dancing but it isn't as shiny a joy as what I feel as when
I am pouring some payne's gray or scumbling yellow
ochre or dabbing some crimson. Now that is some good
joy.
Kelly's work can be viewed and purchased at:
http://www.soulhumming.typepad.com
http://www.kellysnelling.etsy.com
http://www.acharmingexchange.com
12 comments:
I just posted a comment and it is not showing so I will post it again. I really love this image and i enjoyed reading Kelly's words-thank you-both!
Thanks Katherine, I enjoyed Kelly's reply. It makes me want to rush back to creating after taking a bit of a break today.
I enjoyed this. One sentense really strikes home to me: "It opens up that door into the world where time stands still..." Great! And certainly joyful.
Beautiful post. Straight from the soul of a born artist. Everything you mentioned reflected every reason why we do the things we do: because they embody our reasons for being.Like you not doing art makes me feel half empty. And not doing it for more than a month is enogh to make me lose my mind lol.I believe that everything color and line we put into our works is a bit of our soul transformed into something tangible. And bringing that part of us to life by making it tangible to others is our way of sharing ourselves with the world. By the way your works are breathtakingly beautiful.
thank you, katherine, for allowing me into your world today. i so appreciate all the very kind things your readers have said.
Rachel thank you for stopping to read Kelly's words and enjoy her lovely art work.
Robyn me too. I especially related to the part where she talks about not being mean. I notice when I haven't been creating I get angry and it isn't until I get to the studio that the anger transforms.
Ria yes I enjoyed that part of Kelly's statement. Creating art makes it effortless to stay present in the moment.
Surealiste thank you for coming to visit Kelly's lovely words and art work and for giving so much of your self in response.
Kelly thank you for contributing in such an honest lovely way.
hi katherine, thank you for featuring kelly... i so love her art. it goes right to the heart of me...
Isn't that great when that happens Lynne?
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