Artist Statement
As someone who believes that people are given talents not for their own benefit or enrichment, but rather for the benefit and spiritual enrichment of others, I view my own creative talent as a tool that enables me to enhance somebody’s life, (if only for a moment).
I feel that the lack of interest in arts that I notice in people comes from their inability to connect with contemporary artists and I try correcting this by creating work that uses symbols that are timeless and universal. Coming from a culture very different from that of the North America made me realize that people anywhere in the world have similar feelings, dreams and desires and that people do respond to honest art, regardless of their heritage.
I have also noticed that in our “But-how-does-it-make-you-feel?” society people’s feelings about art are often fake. An oppressive wave of political correctness has given people fear that an open admission to not liking certain art might offend somebody and this wide-spread inability to admit that something is not to your liking inadvertently created a generation of plastic souls, confused about their true feelings. Unfortunately it also created many artists who go after sensationalism and shock value in their work, while completely neglecting all other truly wonderful aspects of art, such as beauty or well-thought-out philosophy behind the work.
As an artist I try to connect with my audience. I don’t want them just to notice the paint strokes or the texture of my work. I want them to feel what I feel and then take it beyond the meaning I originally intended. I want my art to help people to open up, to enable them to laugh at themselves and to feel the misfortunes of others. I want them to forget whether they are a Republican or a Democrat. I want them to let go of their hurt and anger. I want them to embrace life with all its joy and sadness and realize that there are things that are bigger than us and they connect us all and make us human. I want my audience to see the world through my eyes, the eyes of a woman and an artist. My ultimate goal is to make people realize how similar we all are, but even if my art were to enrich a life of a single person I would feel that my life is worth living.
