Chelle Fazal

The Artist’s Nature

chellefazal — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:55:38 +0000

You’ve heard plenty of adjectives associated with artists…flacky, neurotic, overly sensitive, weird…the list goes on. Of course these are generalities that may or may not be true of individual artists. But yes, you have to be sensitive to see things that others don’t, and to be able to translate things in a way to encourage a new perspective, a thought or a feeling, to someone who is not so artistic. With these characteritics we have the potential to create masterpieces that can bring a person to tears. Unfortunately, very often, the things that can be strengths that can be used for the positive can also be weaknesses. Any time I sit down to watch a movie fashioned after the life of a famous artist’s life, whether a musician or a painter…I can pretty much assume that their life ends in tragedy. Why? I think it is very easy for artists to struggle with a sense of normalcy. Sometimes the lines between reality and fantacy get blurred. Due to our sensitivities our minds can play tricks on us or we can fall into obsessive behaviors. For me, my challenge has been anxiety. Doctors label me as having panic disorder. My battle is envisioning worst case scenarios happening to me or people I love in a given situation. I have had to study this condition and I battle it regularly. I refuse to let it consume me and I choose to manage it from a spiritual and wholistic approach rather than mask it. But it is only through the support that I get that I am able to do this, which leads me to the purpose of this post. As artists, it is crucial to have a strong support system. “No man is an island.” As a Christian I first and foremost rely completely on the strength of God and my beliefs. I frankly don’t know how people, particularly artists, function without Him. Secondly I rely on family and close friends. I really don’t know where I would be without the support of others like me and those in leadership in my life. In order for an artist to have a happy ending, we have to first recognize that there is a danger in “going it alone.” If you currently do not have a support system, I strongly encourage you to build one by surrounding yourself with others like you and those that lead strong, healthy lifestyles that can hold you up in difficult times and can love you enough to challenge you when need it.

The Responsibility of an Artist

chellefazal — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:43:20 +0000

Edgar Degas said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” I personally believe the biggest responsibility of an artist is not how great we are at time management or how amazing our technique is, it is about discovering our voice and staying true to it. Over the last couple of years, my husband and I have only begun to understand the impact that art can have on the people around us. It can touch a hurting soul, it can expose injustice, it can challenge the status quo. In understanding what your art is meant to do, you have to first know who you are and what you want to communicate. What is your passion? What are you all about? I challenge you to look farther than just asking yourself what might sell or what people would want to see above their sofa. As artists our voices should come through in our art. So what do you have to say?

Embracing the Artist’s Journey

chellefazal — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:23:34 +0000

Anything in life that is of any value is always worth the effort. That is the same with the artistic calling. During this economic downturn we have certainly felt the impact in our photography business and art sales. But here is the reality: if you are called to something, you are willing to continue doing it even in the tough seasons. You may have to do work that you never thought you’d have to do in order to make ends meet, but then the challenge is making time for your art even in those times. The other reality is this: just because you put a series of pieces together to show and find the success of being in a show or showing your art in a gallery, there is no guarantee that any of those pieces will sell. In fact, the odds are that they won’t. So, why bother? Because at some point your efforts will pay off, but more than likely it won’t be in the way you planned or expected. In order to find success, however that looks to you, you have to embrace the journey, whether that is one year or a decade or more. I often think how unfortnate it was for those artists whose work we enjoy today that never saw an ounce of recognition in their lifetime. And then I think of the deficit of inspirational work we would have today if those people didn’t stay true to who they were as artists, gave up, and stopped painting. So I have determined that in my lifetime, whether I sell my paintings for $100 or $1000 or even give them away, I will stay true to that calling, no matter the circumstance. If I ever want to give up based on lack of fame or fortune, perhaps it is time to start questioning my calling.