We’ve all felt that feeling - something’s just off. With ourselves. There’s a dissonance that occurs when we deviate from our true self. Maybe we avoid conflict, shrink in the presence of certain people, or seek approval from others (these are certainly my go-to’s). And while it may make things easier in the moment, it brings us further from our essential core.
In childhood, these coping mechanisms made sense - when faced with a choice between authenticity and attachment, children 100% will compromise their authenticity in favor of sustaining a sense of belonging. As an adult, I’m dissecting how these ingrained stories and patterns no longer serve me, and how I can reunite with my authentic self. I’ll be honest - it’s tough. It’s a lot of soul-searching, self-compassion, and courage. In addition to reading, meditation, and therapeutic art-making, I’m tuning into my body - to my gut and intuition. But it can also be practiced in small ways. Right now, alignment to me can be spending time around people that give me energy rather than take it; eating slower to actually taste my food instead of wolfing it down; and listening to my inner whisper to gravitate away from the fumes of alcohol inks which has brought me to watercolor…
As art is so much a part of my life, whatever I’m going through, I find it so important to not only express myself, but visually share and openly talk about these topics that bind us in our humanity. Just like a chiropractor aligns the spine, seeking alignment within our actions, heart, relationships and life choices, offers relief - a freedom I hope for all of you.
This new body of work explores an interpretation of that search for alignment, coming home to ourselves step by step. The drips and bleeding colors organically interact, purposefully messy because LIFE IS MESSY. Edges of shapes are inexact because life doesn’t fit into neat and tidy boxes and the road is bumpy. And there’s a beauty in that - a beautiful mess. Seeking alignment is a process that never ends, but is so worth the endeavor. On the back of each artwork is a hand-written poem honoring this internal journey:
The Road to Alignment
Listening to each inner cue,
Our body knows something is askew.
A disingenuous action, a comment we said,
Abandoning intuition for acceptance instead.
Living in alignment is a goal so elusive
But pursuing it is crucial - that is conclusive.
You may stay there a moment, or even a year
Inevitably slipping out, but how, it’s not clear.
To self-examine, to consciously face
Where we disconnect from our most innate place
Is to uncover a map to all things that matter,
Where stubborn dissonance dissolves and scatters.
To stand in our truth and know our own voice,
Upholding our authenticity is the ultimate choice.
XOXO,
Jul