BE LIKE THE WATER AND DRILL THE ROCK
My First Open Air Painting Event at ArtJarmark in Nikiszowiec, Katowice
Moją uwagę przykuł kret... Dopiero teraz zaczęłam zastanawiać się nad tym, co symbolizuje. To nie może być bez znaczenia. Więcej tutaj.
A short stop by the gallery. The mural at Szyb Wilson Gallery in Katowice.
The mole caught my eye... Only now I began to ponder on the symbolism behind the mole. I am sure it must be meaningful.
I knew I am going to stay at the Camping 215 again, just as I did the last time. It was a truly good choice. Nice service, high standard and decent price. If someone likes to camp under the stars, I can surely recommend the Camping 215 in Katowice.
Under the crabapple tree at the Camping 215 in Katowice.
It's high time for dinner. Lately I am constantly hungry. I could eat non-stop. A lot is happening, so there is nothing surprising in it. Such a body chemistry.
Fortunately I love to cook and eat outdoors.
This time I decided to enjoy myself swimming in the pool as well.
With the birds I share this lonely pool...
I am not very fond of swimming pools. I am certainly a wild thing, but I love water, so I found it a great relief to finally make up for swimming. Some substitute for purification! Such a baptism of fire!
If I were to assign some color to this trip I would surely choose the turquoise color. Generally I am not very fond of blue colors, though I do have to admit that the blue energy sometimes becomes stronger than my desire to control, arrange and plan everything. It has something natural, organic, almost unbridled in itself. Something that comes from the need of the soul and affects our spontaneous choices independently of our will. It is like water. It takes away everything on its way. Eventually we do even accept it. We give in to this energy. We enjoy it. We welcome its cleansing and reviving impact. Maybe it reflects some hidden desires and repressed needs. Probably even for sure. After all, I do know perfectly well today what I want, what I need. Still a bit suspicious and cautious, I keep this horse firmly in check, but I deeply believe that we are moving in the right direction. The power of art. With art, it is somehow alike with music that soothes the savage breast, you do not even realize the strength with which it affects you, the energy it radiates on you, affecting your life choices. Of course, I do refer here again to the painting by Mrs Grażyna Kulig, which I shared with you before. You can admire it at the exhibition of naif art during the 12th Art Naif Festival in the Szyb Wilson Gallery in Katowice. It is probably my personal number one of this year's exhibition. I am glad that I had the opportunity to meet the artist in person and learn so much about her. It was an illuminating story. Thank you.
Last evening drafts in the candle light. The candle has been partly consumed by the hedgehog who was my evening companion during the last stay at the Camping 215. I forgot to take an extra candle with me... Fortunately Mr Hedgehog showed some understanding and ate just the outer layer of the candle. Just enough to light it yet one more evening.
Artistic souls - restless ghosts have it that they just cannot find it so easy to rest. Sometimes, if such a forced break, sort of a time out of time happens, the conscience will wake them up at 3:30 in the morning and will expect explanations. Do we really have to talk about it now? Today? - you ask yourself rhetorically. If not today then when? When will you find time for me? - it is almost as if you heard the voice of your inner child, who does not really enjoy this crazy life, who does not understand why does it all have to be so damn complicated. And meanwhile I should feel fresh and rested today. After all, a great challenge awaits me - my first open air painting event. A blessing in disguise - sometimes waking up so early does also have its pros. I remember a friend whose profession often required to wake up in the middle of the night confessed to me once that it was such a strange feeling to wake up with the knowledge that it is the middle of the night, everyone is asleep, the lights in the windows are off, you feel even more alone than normally, although you also feel so blissful at the same time. There is something in it. It is a time out of time. Aside of all this race. You do not need to do anything. You do not have to rush. You can just sit and think. Actually you have no other choice, because you just cannot fall asleep. Suddenly, a thousand questions, doubts, reflections arise. You feel the moment. You have this strange feeling of perfect synchronization with nature. After all, you sleep under the open sky. For the first time in a long time you watch the sun rising. You love this view. That feeling. Why, then, does it always take to cross another sea of tears to feel it again? You just cannot understand it. It is almost like a deja vu.
With the moss and crabapple tree I share this sunrise... and a morning coffee too, of course. Beautiful moment, do not pass away!
I have to admit that despite the initially disturbing thoughts that woke me up I had a very good time this morning. This few hours without sleep finally made me feel like I did actually had the time, the shortage of which troubled me so much lately. Though I felt a bit tired, this Sunday morning made ma stand up to the upcoming challenge. It was supposed to be a long Sunday today.
Under the arcades at Nikiszowiec
As you know, I am definitely not an outdoor painter. Actually, I am not at all interested in recreating reality. Well, maybe from now on it will change... I guess I feel the blues and I will be more likely to paint on similar events. Anyway, I think that there are many artists who can paint landscapes much better than me. In my paintings I try to first and foremost tell a story. A personal story. I need to know what emotions I am struggling with. I have to understand them. I just have to feel it. Only in this way my paintings can speak to people's hearts. That was also the condition I set myself when I considered participating in the open air painting event. Feel the atmosphere of Nikiszowiec. Find a story. Is it at all possible in one day? I took two walks in this historic district of Katowice. In the evening and during the day, but still I felt unsatisfied, I had the feeling that I was moving only on the surface of events and situations. I needed something more. Unfortunately, I could not stay any longer. When I was on my way back, I felt slightly frustrated. I began to wonder whether participation in this open air event makes sense at all. It has not even crossed my mind that during this short stay someone or something touched me so as to cause deeper reflection, awake any emotions. And yet... a week full of thoughts and restless nights and finally I could not stand it, I made the first draft. And although this story did not really take place on Nikiszowiec, it did not happen at all, I managed to place it in a local cafe on the cobbled streets of the red window district of Nikiszowiec, at the same time preserving the fleeting nature of the moment. This painting actually became the finale of this story. A kind of moral. How true, indeed. I chose Nikiszowiec. I chose art. I chose myself. It was stronger than all the rest. So I knew perfectly well what I would paint, and the actual work on the painting was the result of a whole month of reflections and numerous sketches.
When I finally managed to somehow set up my stall, each time it requires a new concept, I finally sat down to the easel, although I cannot say that it was an easy task to start painting. It required a lot of concentration and perseverance, and also divisibility of attention, because all the time there someone approached me, asked about something, started a conversation, wanted to take a picture. And this is indeed what I value the most in participating in artistic events - contact with other people. Ordinary extraordinary - I once wrote in a story from one of my trips. People open up, tell you their story, feel like sharing their passions and reflections. Suddenly, it turns out they have so rich and colorful souls. Sometimes it turns out that they are outstanding people - not only artists, admirers or experts in art, but ethnographers, museum workers, photographers. Finally we have someone to talk to. I love these conversations. Extremely inspiring, motivating, and opening. They bring so much positive energy. My smile just cannot be wider anymore. You feel that you are not alone. All you have to do is to be open to people and show: here I am! Maybe a little naive, imperfect, but of flesh and blood, just human, not a fancy ideal or great artist. Suddenly, so many soul mates surround you. Greetings to all of you who have stopped by my stall for a longer while and shared their good energy with me!
Photos taken by Tadeusz who also paints. At Nikiszowiec we had a short chat about great art. Thank you!
Meeting with a local artist Mrs Lidia Wiewiórowska, whose painting you can also see at the 12th Art Naif Festival exhibition in the Szyb Wilson Gallery in Katowice. The photo was made by her daughter Anna Wiewiórowska who became the happy owner of a greeting card with my intergalactic cat Michel :) You cannot even imagine how it feels to be appreciated by a fellow artist. So illuminating!
The final result has overgrown all my expectations. As for six hours of work in quite demanding cirumstances I am very satisfied with the final effect. To put it short: veni, vidi, vici. My first open air painting event is over! I am very proud of myself. I want more and I also know now I can do more. All I need is to find the right rhythm and keep calm in the process.
Big thanks for the beautiful photos to all photographers, especially: Marek Locher, Robert Syrek Sr, Bernie Walker, local artist Lidia Wiewiórowska, and also the photographers from Dziennik Zachodni. Have a look at the photogalleries from the event in Dziennik Zachodni and on the webpages of the 12th Art Naif Festival and Szyb Wilson Gallery. All of these photos will always be a memento of this special moment for me. Thank you!