Being at Marywood, as an evolving young artist, I have learned a lot about both myself and my work. Art is an ever-changing, ever-growing concept; much like each one of us as people. We go through life’s journey stumbling, falling, and sometimes being crushed under the pressure and pain it sometimes pushes on to us. What we, as naturally creative beings, can do however, is harness that crumbling feeling, that defeated moment. It should not define us, but more so empower and strengthen us. As artists, we have been granted the power to reflect on our struggles and express them in ways others can’t seem to.

I have done a lot of thinking about my topic for this week’s blog, and I have come to the conclusion I should share these thoughts with readers and fellow artists. I recently took a class at Marywood (which needs more recognition, tune in next week), that truly allowed me to explore my life through my art. I honed in on emotions I was feeling. Jumbled in my head, confusing and teasing me.  The idea came straight from that place of chaos, so easily formed from my untamable thoughts. I would literally display my heart, shown exactly in the way I was feeling. Tattered, torn and jumbled, but still maintaining it’s life force. Never quite giving in to it’s battle.  This process taught me a lot about really diving into that scary, vulnerable place and letting it breathe. I took my experiences and released them, much like a writer gets their words out to create the illusion that the burden no longer exists. That is what was done for me through my art. I released that burden and felt free through what this process allowed.

The end result of this personal, artistic exploration was a fully embroidered, 3-dimensional human heart. It displays full, bright colors to emphasize that it hasn’t been defeated through what it has seen and experienced. Towards the bottom of the piece, however, it shows a slow ripping of the heart’s solid shell. The sadness and pain oozes out of the bottom; shown by a collection of multicolored threads. These threads are different then those in the heart itself. This color scheme represents more of the slow defeat of the heart with more of a neutral approach.

I am proud to share this piece because, to me, it represents so much. It has shown my progression as an artist at Marywood, exploring new forms of expressing myself. Along with allowing me to open up and provide a narrative aspect to my work, a meaning that I never fully understood before. I encourage all artists to truly dive within themselves and share with the world something about who they really are. The world needs more brave souls to pave the way for expression and a raw human spirit.