For now I’m going to say it is an artist thing, but I like the idea of capturing an emotion in a way that’s understandable to other people. Usually I want to show it and not say it, like making a painting that the viewer feels the joy or anger behind it. When that’s not possible or doesn’t work, then I like the idea of writing or praying it out. Granted it’s easier to hide a book then a painting, and after I pray I sometimes pretend that didn’t happen. It did happen though, and expressing emotions either positive or negative is okay. At least for me though, there are some emotions I need or want to work through.
Love has been the deepest well of emotion, and even dealing with little bits of love has been enriching. Like a lot of the trips I have taken have helped me find moments or a love I can share through art and writing easily. Fear is harder to deal with, but I want to deal with it, and stop being afraid. Outside of dealing with the major fears of things like death, there are lighter fears that can be worked through.
Visually I think of hairy thing, cause people have a really strong reaction to seeing hairy things that aren’t meant to be hairy. There’s an article or a medical explanation out there about why hair (Chaetophobia) gets to people the way it does, but for now it is a lighter example of visualizing fear. I also have had a few dreams about it during this quarantine period, but I don’t want to draw it. I’m wondering if there is something else I should draw, like my feelings of confinement? Now could be the time to deal with it, cause no matter where I’m stuck in quarantine, I’m still in quarantine.
That’a a lot harder to visualize. I have a tiny apartment with one icky window, (it’s not something I would draw, or look out of.) I do have everything I need though, including outdoor places in the city that I can social distance, and wifi at home. There’s an emotion there I feel I can depict through art. A lot of artists are already doing that though, and although I like their stuff, it can throw me off on how I want to create it. (I’m attaching a link to give an example of some of the art I’m talking about, just click on the underlined art words.) There isn’t much I want to draw from in my apartment, or even from there really world either. Perhaps instead of drawing on the real, I should draw on the surreal.
I could combine the things we are all dealing with into one painting, or one art series. Like I could reinterpret my dream of hair into a message of dealing with my own germs, or share how there is freedom in my imagination in spite of the confines of home. Germs are generally shown surreal anyway, and so is escapism. In fact, if I look over some of my old art I can reuse at least some elements, then add some object that really relates it to what is happening now. Drawing things I already know how to draw is easier to do than to learn something new, and it is also more relatable. Besides knowing the object and how to depict it, I have thoughts and feelings about it. Even if I have moved on from the things I was drawing or the ideas behind it, recreating it adds new thoughts or opinions to it.
Like the image below of the Li River, which I have seen in art dozen of times, but I relate to it more through my attempts to draw mountains that some how ended up looking like it. I’ve even taught kids how to draw mountains, and watched them get upset that it doesn’t look ‘real,’ then I forgot about that until scenic landscapes in Asia. In this current climate though, feelings towards Asia aren’t all that positive, and I wouldn’t want to cause a debate. It would be worse if I accidentally insulted someone through the artwork, but then again I think this image (I made it as a postcard) works as an example of art I have feelings about. Overall I don’t think landscapes work for emotion filled art, cause it’s easier to think of the place then the stuff in the art work. Drawing people and pets would have that same issue, but there are other ways to achieve my goal of emotion filled art.
I think this has been an idea at the back of my mind for a while, and maybe I’m not doing this idea justice. Emotions have some value, but where that value is is also important. I’m working on creating a business called Reloved Art Treasures, and one idea I keep coming back to is that our emotions matter in art. I’ve seen people hold on to emotions like fear, anxiety, sadness, or hate, BUT I have seen forgiveness and love change that in amazing ways. Stories of adoptions, freed slaves and prisoners come to my mind as the strongest ideas, but there are little stories too. Some smaller stories of family antiques can have some emotional impactful too. It’s hard to say that this item has a history you’ll love though, and images only impact people so much. Not everyone likes to read either, and I’d be impressed if you read this far. Yet there is something powerful to it, and I would love if even a little of that was available to you, and to others. It has done a lot for me, like helped me forgive, and given me the ability to forget the things that may keep me up at night. To me even that extra sleep is worth it, but forgiveness has allowed for friendship, travel, and other opportunities too. Since I can’t give out emotions though I turn to art and writing, and when I can’t do that, then maybe it’s time to try something else like talking.
Love from Juliana 