SHEILA BENEDIS
My life’s journey began in the left brain world. I majored in math in college, and was introduced to nature and developed a love of art and poetry later in life. In addition to trees and organic shapes of nature, the buildings of Antonio Gaudi, the Spanish architect, and Matisse’s cutouts inspire me.
The process usually comes first and I suddenly realize the idea when the piece is finished. The best part of my art making journey is enjoying the process. I like to work in series to keep exploring an idea. Paper is my medium and I like to work three-dimensionally. I’ve made tunnel books, where an opening is created through which you look. Now I have developed that idea with the concept of warping of space-time. Gravity is a curving or warping of space.
I have made altered books: taking a pre-existing book, adding collage, watercolor and my poetry. The finished product would be a stunning sculpture. Recently, I’ve discovered a new technique. I copy one of my printed poems onto a collage to produce a page which is a combination of imagery and imbedded text. This page is copied to produce pages for the book. The identical pages are attached to a concertina-crown binding and I cut organic shapes into the whole to produce an artist book. My meditative labor is intervention with intention. Some of the content may be hidden beneath the surface. The poem submerged moves, floating in the layers, twisting and turning, not necessarily legible.
I live next to a beautiful park with undulating walls. I enjoy the trees moving in the wind, the rustling leaves, the clouds slowly floating by. The park changes with the seasons. Experiencing nature is a form of creative meditation for making art. I slow down, revitalize my soul, refresh my mind, relax my body, feel alive. A brisk walk arouses my creative juices. I enter my personal territory, my apartment, a sacred space for creativity. The discipline of solitary work completely absorbs me. Nature’s organic shapes permeate with their texture and movement. My imagery shows off lively, bright colors and conveys feelings of joy and excitement as well as feelings of injustice. The visual image combined with verbal language gives meaning. I communicate my feelings and ideas through art incorporating language, share my work, connect with and impact others. When I am in tune with my innermost self, I feel more alive, since my energy is faithful to a commitment that nourishes me. I feel grounded in the world. Knowing that I belong here and can offer something important. Creativity heals me, the world.
Read More: WEBSITE: https://www.tsgny.org/sheila-benedis
