Using Your Art to Show How You Feel
Be authentic, they said... Be yourself, they said... But what if you're not in the best of moods? How can you be authentic without telling the truth? There's no denying that this time of year can be difficult for many (myself included). As artists we have the option to create something that speaks about our feelings; something beautiful can come from our pain. This allows us to be authentic and true to ourselves while at the same time putting something positive out into the world. So here I am being authentic.
Last week I went to the beach for a class assignment. I was grateful for my landscape photography class and the obligation I had to get out of the house. The marine layer provided the perfect effect by erasing the horizon. I wanted to create something that expressed the beauty that surrounded me and the melancholy inside of me. Creating these images brought me peace.
The ocean is both a silent witness and a source of comfort for me. When I am troubled I often have dreams with rising water and ocean waves - they look a lot like this.
I have chosen to be authentic and express how I feel in these images because my struggles are just as much a part of this journey as the triumphs. My challenges are an opportunity for me (and maybe you) to learn something and by sharing them and expressing how I feel I can create something that makes me feel a bit better.
There you have it: honesty and authenticity. Because we all know that an artist's life isn't all sunshine and rainbows.