Creating Art Comes From Within

Watching an artist at work is totally amazing. The "motion" of an artist is always creating usually with their whole being. Creating a piece of art may begin from within which we cannot see initially, but then when an artist goes to put their creation on canvas (or paper) the movement begins!

I live with an artist who is always in motion of creating beautiful paintings. I was sitting tonight reflecting on "motion" and watching his body movements, paint strokes and concentration. Then it hit me, his paintings are creations of motion and emotion! I have observed through him how he uses his whole body to put on canvas a piece of art.

Standing at the easel, my artist is in continual movement from his feet to his legs up with twisting at the waist reaching for more paint or brushes to his arms and hands. His upper body does move more than his lower with wide gestures in a sweeping motion putting large strokes of color onto the canvas. Of course his head moves following the direction of his eyes on the canvas. It is memorizing to watch someone create.

Motion or movement is something that is ever changing its position or place. I think of original art in that sense also. We all know art is subjective. Beauty in the eye of the beholder. Abstract art really show the results of motion by the artist. Some paintings are so large, I am sure the artist must put the whole body into it. Paintings also are fluid and show movement.

I hope you enjoy some of Jay's samples of his artistic motion at work. This image is take by me of "moving" acrylic painting that Jay created called "Candy Swirls". In fact all photos are taken and provided by Jay and myself, Nancia.

When I met Jay in 2001, he was painting. He was working on a beautiful abstract painting that I fell in love with. Then I fell in love with him as well! His special abstract oil painting is the Color Burst. He has named this collection of colorful paintings this because they are truly a "burst of color".

It is amazing to see the motion coming from his brain to his eye to his arm then to the brush. Each color burst abstract painting is unique and no two are ever alike. The really move when placed together as "wings" or a "butterfly" pattern.

One day when we were first dating, I stopped by his studio and he greeted me all in blue. Paint that is! It was on his face, hair and clothes. We still laugh about that today. That day he was in full motion of painting and it showed!

Photo by Jay Nixon

Several years ago I was given the task to update our Art Room at work. Since it was a place where other artists came to paint, work glass, ceramics and more, I decided that instead of putting down tile or vinyl on the floor we would paint the cement. In thinking about this project seriously and discussing it with Jay at home, we thought an abstract design on the floor would be interesting and fun.

Our maintenance staff painted the floor with garage floor paint and Jay was hired to create a painting. I watched him use his whole body to work this painting. The artist can move fluidly when in the state of "creating". Believe it or not, painting even a small size piece of art can take a lot of movement. We have an artist friend who is in a wheelchair and paints with his teeth. His motion may be different than ours, but his artwork is amazing. I think this is Jay's largest painting to date!

This is Jay's "Jackson Pollok".

Photo by LilMonkey

In thinking about the motion of an artist, I cannot leave out the 'e'motion of this special person. Anyone who is or knows an artist is very familiar with how beautiful and amazing they can be. I know for a fact that they can "march to a different drummer" at times and REALLY feel life. An artist must be allowed to feel all emotions to be able to put them down on canvas.

Many of the great artists in history were known for deep emotions resulting in masterpieces.

Jay's emotion and passion for art is taking him back to college studying pyschology and more art classes. His ultimate goal is to use these studies and knowledge in helping others with art therapy. Jay is also a musician and singer. He would like to combine music and art therapy when working with children. He hopes to take this healing art to the children's hospital and inspire hope with art.

I wrote this article trying to capture the "essence" of an artist's life and emotions in which comes out through their art. The wonderful thing that I learned about art through myself, my partner Jay and our artist friends is that there are no boundaries. No box to stay in; no right or wrong. I truly believe that art is healing and a form of communication or expression.

Sometimes art can be dark or not your particular style but in enjoying so much art around me in the world, I find joy and happiness in so much of it. There are so many talented people in the world and it is my desire in writing this that you would become "aware" of the artists and their "motion" in their work. It comes from deep inside each of them with a desire to share themselves with you.