FRAN WILLIAMS’ INCREDIBLE ADDICTION!

By likemindblog

FRAN--PHOTO 280

FRAN WILLIAMS is an amazing artist from Wales, and her own words can best introduce her. Spontaneously Fran says: “I’ve always found painting the most cathartic way to find the answer to any problem in life…paint until you know the answer! Inspired by my mother who is a painter…I saw from an early age that happiness is something you create and look after…neglect your passions at a costly price.

I grew up and still live in Swansea, Wales and although when I was a teenager I think I would have given my left arm to have lived in a big city such as London or New York…I now really appreciate the fact that I didn’t as I feel it pushed me to look within myself for inspiration…rather than being overly influenced by the many Artistic trends and styles you see imitated elsewhere.

I trained in both Art and design and illustration which gave me two BETWEEN SELVES 100 intriguing perspectives into the world of imagery…I feel this has played a big part in how I approach my work.

I love the works of the Symbolist painters such as Odilon Redon and Franz Von Stuck. I have been exhibiting for the last 2 years.

I paint obsessively…its something I have to do to feel sane and correct!

Painting is the most addictive drug I know of!”

Fran, I want to thank you for participating in this project and answering without hesitation to the following questions.

No. 1) What is art to and for you? (generally and personally)

1. Art to me is something that makes the non-tangibility of life…tangible…in the mind.

A way of showing and understanding the very essence of what it is to be here in this life…in this form.

The marks made by paint echo our temporal physical existence and the ever changing/expanding lives.

No. 2) What inspires you?

2. Everything I’ve ever seen, felt, thought or heard…and continue to do so.

The one main source of inspiration that makes sense of everything in life for me is the sky…its continual and relentless movement never fails to amaze and inspire me…Its insistent movement and fluidity has inspired every painting I’ve ever done and is exactly what i aim to express in all of my work.

No. 3) When you are creating, painting, where does it take you? I mean where does your mind (spirit) travel?

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN (7)150 3. When I’m painting it allows me to be 110% present…to the point where I’m not thinking anything…totally immersed in a state of complete contentment and connectedness that is difficult to describe…its that buzz you get from locking onto the thing you love…and if you do that then you’ll know what I’m talking about.

No. 4) Do you feel painting, music and health are related and if so, how?

4.Music and Art are 2 of the ways we compulsively and instinctively use to bring life to life…I don’t think we could exist or would want to without it…we find rhythm and form in everything we experience.

Music and art allow us to connect with the energy of life…I think it is essential….way more than we realize.

From a personal perspective music, art and health are completely intertwined and always have been…music brings everything to life…including the paintings!

It celebrates the sounds of this life, this universe and paint is the matter…the form and feeling…It makes everything we’ve experienced and felt in this life make sense and allows us to understand one another and ourselves in a way that i think would be impossible without them.

For me one doesn’t exist without the other…they are a magical combination and i definitely need both to feel 100% well.

No. 5) How do you feel when you paint?

5. I feel completely alive and totally free…any issues in any other part of my life get resolved and nothing really matters – in a good way!….The part where I’m thinking about something is the only time I’ll feel unease and then I know that less thinking more painting is the only way forward!…I can think and plan outside of the painting process…but once I start painting, any plans usually take they’re own fluid path.

The action of painting alongside music allows me to feel and know the THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE 100 temporal, changing nature of everything….it’s as if you merge with everything so there are no problems as you feel quite weightless and timeless.

Painting allows me to be totally present, to the point that I’m not there at all…this may sound strange and its certainly difficult to explain in words but that’s all I can say really!

No. 6) Under what conditions do you work best?

6) I always work alone…I’ve tried a shared studio but it wasn’t for me….too many distractions.

I have to get completely immersed in my own energies to feel what I need to create.

There is room only for music, daylight flooding in… and my cat… who provides non stop amusement and wonderment!

No. 7) Do you identify with your subject and if so, on what level?

7) Usually my subject is me…so yes I’m always identifying with myself and it either feels right or wrong and that is the only guide in my work.

My work is not about me in a documented or biographical way….I just know that what I sense and feel is the most honest and well informed subject for me to use…I paint what I feel compelled to paint.

I don’t have to ‘investigate’ anything because whatever I create comes without having to think about it…I know I’m compelled to paint the figure more so than anything else ( for now! ) and so do.

ALL MY HOPES 75 Working in such a way means I can get on with my primary interest which is the continual exploration of the emotion and visual effect of paint, surface and colour.

I may create a series of paintings on the same theme, but the original idea to do it just creates itself really…often on the canvas itself and this is the joy of painting in such an unrestricted way…figures and forms morph and create whatever they want to create… I recognize it and enhance certain aspects to make it as powerful as possible…i am continually working with water and substance and they are in charge.

In fact, water plays a huge part in my work as it does in life…I apply water in the same way to the canvas…drenching, drying, eroding and washing away.

When I paint I’m relating what I see, sense and feel on an intuitive level and mark making with paint is the perfect medium for me to do this with.

I guess I get what I need from feeling and creating the work and the other part of it belongs to the viewer.

As soon as it’s in front of them it belongs to them to feel and see whatever they need to…it’s their experience from that point on.

No. 8) Does painting help you connect with your higher self, whatever that may be for you?

8) The act of painting allows me to completely immerse in the feeling of ANGEL1 100DPI satisfaction….I’m doing everything I love doing most in life and feeling that buzz which I know is in my studio as soon as I start work.

I haven’t found anything else like it in life so far…For me it’s an instant and long lasting fix which allows me to feel at ease with life…I feel a connection and understanding of life that I can actually carry through now into other aspects of my life…the dots now connect which is pretty awesome.

No. 9) How do you feel about creativity in the public school systems?

9) I don’t think you can repress a child’s creativity whether certain ways of using it are encouraged in school or not…life experience makes you create, and I don’t mean with paints ( they are just one of the many means of expression ) but to me creativity means the ability to see through any apparent limitations and to create your own paths to achieve what you want in life…whatever that may be.

Life experience will continually make you create…we are always creating something or other whether it’s what we want or not…but its up to you to recognize this and create the life that you do want…the earlier on we realise this the better?

…but there again I think it all evens out…you’ll find what you’re looking for and the time you spent not knowing will be the perfect guide to learn from.

No. 10) In your opinion, what would be a simple solution to improving creativity in the public school system?

10) I guess I’ve answered this question above…but of course it would have been great to have had far more music, art and cookery in school…not just the doing of either but the enjoyment and celebration of them…for school to celebrate more of what how good it can feel to be alive…to bring life to life…but as I said earlier life will show you what you’re looking for and there’s plenty of amazing stuff in this life to make you start looking.

Thank for such a generous and interesting and thought provoking article Fran. I have no doubt that all who read it will be enlightened. It has been a true pleasure doing this with you and until our paths cross again, be blessed!

TO THE READER :

To find out more about Fran as well as discovering more of her incredible work, you are invited to visit the links below. Your comments are truly appreciated, thank you and enjoy!

http://fran-williams.blogspot.com fran photo