"Shipwreck" - 40x70cms
"Do you know what it means when an artist can't feel?
When an artist can't feel, an artist can't be."
That is what I found myself saying to my sister, while complaining about art blocks, and not having created any piece in a good while.
For those of you who are familiar with the process of creating any piece of art, you probably have been through an art block. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it is the feeling of wanting to create, but not being able to. You feel the need to be creating something, yet as soon as you try to, the result comes out ridiculous, almost funny. It is as though the artist living in you has somehow left, leaving only the need to express your passion with no way to convey what's inside of you into a piece of art. Inspiration runs dry, frustration takes over, and you fear having lost your gift while losing faith in your art.
I am all too familiar with that feeling, and it often happens when I feel empty.
This is how I found out, not long ago, that the essence of an artist's work is feelings. Art can never be created at the click of a button, it is rooted deep within. Whether the artist intends to or not, whatever shows up on the canvas is a result of what is going on in our hearts.
I often find emotions to be too overwhelming, as I never feel anything lightly, and often find myself running from them...
Until I learned a lesson: emotions are meant to be felt, and I have been built to feel them deeply. With time, and lots of ups and downs, I've been able to control them, feeling them without being entirely consumed by the intensity.
