Leaving Valuables
Finally an email w some substance
Art can be used to heal.
The creation of it, the realizations from it, and the perspectives brought to it can all revitalize a person. As artists, we pull from the deepest parts of our psyche and mind to create the work that best represents us. Either consciously or unconsciously. Or we don’t which is also fine but to each their own lmao. But over time, we are known for our styles. It could be our medium (me :3), motifs (me:3), messages (me i hope :’3), and eventually, who we are (manifesting for me :3). We carve our own path (me literally :3) and find our perfect little space to break down our thoughts and craft with our work.
And people value us for it.
In diving into ourselves to create, we take the time to process our flaws and gifts. In creating from it, people find value in our work. We become known as “the artist using wood” "or “the artist using a lot of abstract shapes in this color palette” or “the artist who makes art about being lonely”. And as artists, we see this. We see what people buy from us, and see where we are applauded. An applause for trying new mediums. An applause for expanding a style. An applause for coping with loneliness. This last part isn’t too great tho.
This is where the problems come in: We can be valued for our traumas and challenges.
People relate to them though. It provides comfort to those also going through similar issues. People want to feel less alone in their life. And art can accommodate that. And Artists can accommodate that.
But how healthy is it to be valued for our traumas? We are still people, and we grow beyond our past. We will grow past what people originally valued us for. We can hold on to things we’ve long accepted and resolved, or stay in the same harmful cycles, only because we are valued in a specific trauma. Personally I’ve been focusing on growing from the past and reflecting upon myself; but in doing so, I feel like I haven’t done much new things in my life. I found value in what had happened, and didn’t let anything new enter. I was stuck to where I found value in my art. Which is also where I assumed others found value in my art.
Finding value in a theme of my art has been a bit of a freeing trap. While it kept me reliving a lot of the same things, it let me not think about what to make as hard, as it became formulaic. But this has definitely hurt my creation process, as I am tired of thinking of the same things all the time.
The secret is: I know my audience wants me to grow beyond my traumas. and this lil tidbit is all the permission I need to move forward. Some people may not relate to what I make anymore. But I might end up making a piece that helps another move forward from their past. Getting out of what you find valuable will lead you to something more powerful than you could even imagine.
It’s 2am and I’ve lost a lot of routines and regularity in the past few weeks that i’ve been home, but i will gladly blame that on saturn in pisces (delusion). keep pushin yall, and b ok with letting things go (message to myself)
love,
Faraz
ps. I went to Potbellys today and got a sandwich that is doing absolute numbers pray for me yall
psps. Been looking at galleries. been looking at art fairs. been looking at jobs. money is flowing fr
look at this silly little number it looks like 3>3 i love it. what is it observing? whats got it so curious? maybe it has the answers?
There was a thread on twitter w some of the most moving pieces of media; this one hit hard. mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.
also rumor has it I set up my print store again but less janky:)