Inspiration Fridays! Magic Hands!
Magic Hands!
A few months back I had the opportunity to go to the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Portland Art Museum. The work was inspiring and honest, but what struck me most was Frida‘s complete immersion in her art.
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” – W.B. Yeats
Her home, clothing, and celebrity, all sprung from the same singular vision. Although she was described as a Mexican surrealist, that wasn’t how she identified with her work. “I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.”
I have found the same to be true for my painting. It can feel scary to be seen. At first, I didn’t want people to be able to look at my life when they looked at my paintings, but there I was. My paintings are a direct reflection of how I feel about being alive in this world today. Sometimes they even teach me about myself.
Frida, Diego, and their monkey.
What’s amazing about paint, is that it provides a safe place to explore who we are. When we make a painting we have the opportunity to paint what is real for us. Whether our paintings are abstract or realistic, they echo the way that we experience our world. We can make mistakes, and even reinvent ourselves on a daily basis. The more we commit to painting from an authentic place, the easier it becomes to show up with that authenticity everywhere else.
We don’t have to limit our artistic expression to the canvas but it’s a great way to learn about ourselves and discover where we are at. What fills your subconscious? How would you paint your: Love? Sadness? Peace? Desire? Youth? Death?
Initially, these questions can feel unanswerable. I found that more often than not though, these questions just aren’t meant to be answered with words. Trust your hands because paint is magic. The answers are hidden in the act of doing.