Art = Autobiography

[Malinda Neisess]

Ms. Dandy Lines dropped by Florabelles the other day and left me with a quote by Italian movie director Federico Fellini

"All art is autobiographical," he explained when asked about his inner-life creations. "The pearl is the oyster's autobiography."

I've been thinking about this since and it also reminded me of the past discussion here about the legacy we want to leave behind and also the old saying that a picture paints a thousand words...

We had another discussion somewhere, at Florabelle's maybe, not sure, but about the idea of a soundtrack for our lives, it would be a fun project and Cynthia actually made one! I haven't set out to do this yet but it is still percolating...

I like the idea of my Art being left behind as my autobiography. I believe I will look at each new piece that I create from the perspective of it speaking volumes about me when I'm gone. I am a very happy person but we all have had some icky stuff in our lives and so I think if I do decide to bring these to a visual documentation, I would make them very small to signify that they were the small things because the good stuff is what matters to me :-) and that alone will speak volumes about me.

I have studied the lives of a few artists in particular and so I was thinking that if I had not read about them, would their art have been able to show me what I'd read? Since I can see the art and know the background it is hard to separate the two but it is very interesting to see how their art did indeed paralell their personal lives but without knowing all the details I could have made up my own fantasies about them and the reasons and motivations for their work.
It is an interesting analogy to narrow this particular question to the simplicity of looking at one piece of art when you know nothing about it except what you see and the many different ways in which you can interpret it verses having the artist right their telling you exactly what and why for each detail, which limits the way you can then look at that picture...

What are your thoughts on your Art being your autobiography???

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

Malinda, I think it was Cynthia that came up with the sound track idea and made one for her life ... I thought it was a good idea and was going to give it a go but never did ...

You said ...

"I am a very happy person but we all have had some icky stuff in our lives and so I think if I do decide to bring these to a visual documentation, I would make them very small to signify that they were the small things because the good stuff is what matters to me"

This is a good way of being in the world ... a very positive outlook and focus. Something we all strive for ... if everyone could be this way, the world would be so much better off!

Yet ... we all have our shadow sides. There is duality in everything. We do eventually need to look at the unwanted stuff in our lives, with compassion for ourselves, in order to be whole ... I think a lot of artists do this and sometimes art is the only way to express these emotions that don't want to be looked at too closely.

That's one of the things that Soul Collage helps with ... and doing "inner child" work. I have a long way to go with this, still ...

[Malinda Neisess]

thanks for bringing that to my attention barb, i fixed it :-)

[Jules]

I actually view the icky stuff in my life blessings. I have never personally had a spiritual advancement from a comfortable place- only after bad times. In hindsight I would not be where I am today had it not been for everything that has happened.
So in an atrt biography good or icky- they would have to be done with the same intensity and passion.
After all, How would I know something is good, if I have nothing bad to compare to?

It is funny though. I have written in my journal what I called "My icky stuff life theory".
It looks kinda quiet around here, maybe I will go blog it...

[Malinda Neisess]

Jules,
I too have experienced my greatest spiritual advancement out of icky because it was in that place that I really sought help, comfort, and companionship from the Lord. And though it was an awful thing to go through, when I look back on it, I would go through it all again rather than skip that growing experience. But, I did no art through it, just time spent alone with the Lord in prayer and with my Bible, oh and come to think of it, my prayer journal-I filled up about 4 full journals during that time (about a year).

[Susan Hosken]

Malinda, Through the bad time didn't you do any art for a year?
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

[Malinda Neisess]

well, I was teaching art at that time but did none of my own, just journaling but I really did spend lots of time with the Lord and it was very sweet!

[Dan Goodwin]

Great topic Malinda!

I think it's virtually impossible for art NOT to be autobiographical... Everything we create is influenced by the total of what we've experienced, seen heard and felt in our lives up to that point.

For me, much of my earlier writing was about looking for answers and finding direction. I don't mean writing directly "Who am I? Where am I going?", I mean exploring what's important to me by writing and through other creating. The more you do this, the more you hone in on the themes and values most important in your life...

I'm going to think some more about this, thanks for posting... : )

Dan

[Malinda Neisess]

"Everything we create is influenced by the total of what we've experienced, seen heard and felt in our lives up to that point".

I totally agree with this Dan
its like we are a filter, stuff goes through us and it can't come from us if it doesn't go in us

[cat stone]

This is an interesting discussion. I made a quilted piece a few years ago that I'd like to show you. It was made during a difficult period of my life, a time when I was concerned about what my future might be like and worried that I would not be able to make a 'contribution to society' for want of a better phrase.

I think of it as a 'transitional' piece. A lot of the work made after this is using very bright colours and a more positive feel, reflecting a more positive personal outlook and an acceptance of having MS. Now I might go back and have a look at some of them and try to remember how I felt at the time I made them.

Edit: I don't think you can read the words in the photos. Here they are.

Why is the sky blue when everything around us is grey?

Is it to taunt us? To say that we must stay down here amongst the war, the intolerance, the hatred, and never be able to reach the sky, the moon, the stars? Do our spirits shrink every time we read a newspaper and see what humans are capable of doing to each other?

Or is it there to teach us that there is beauty in the midst of all the ugly things that surround us ...that in spite of what we are capable of doing, there is still kindness and compassion and love and tolerance ?

If each and every person does the best that they can, if each and every person is the very best person they can be, the human spirit can rise up above every obstacle and flourish. Each person is in control of their own actions.

Why is the sky blue?

To give us hope.

To show us that there can be a better world if we want it. Our own spirits can rise up and flourish if we let them. What are you doing to help our world be a better place?

[Malinda Neisess]

Cat! This is a beautiful piece of work/ART!

The meaningful words and the words within the stitching, the way the fabric matches the subject, all of it is marvelous!!!
You are so very talented!
and I'm curious as to how you applied the words in black???

[cat stone]

Thanks, Malinda. The words in black were done by ironing the fabric onto freezer paper, then feeding it through my printer. I'm experimenting with this more and more.

[Malinda Neisess]

whoa, wait, what???
you can do that? and then feed it through your printer? and then it stays on???
wow, I'm blown away!