GRACIELA BELLO’S ALCHEMY!
She gets involved in the alchemy of self-making. For her, transcendence means happiness from memories. Graciela says: I imbue my works with memories of times I belong to just because I miss them. I become part of an ingenuous and elegant era, reviving that world with a sort of nostalgia. From Argentina, welcome to Graciela’s world of delicate sensuality and refinement.
Thank you so much for your generosity, Graciela. I am truly grateful that you are participating in this project. Let us begin:
No. 1) What is art, painting to and for you?
Art, music, poetry, cinema… they all open your mind and heart. The world needs them, like the water for the earth.
“Imagine a world full of science men and without only one poet. It would be horrendous and it would not be worthwhile to live in it. These people give beauty to the world, they give it certain perfume”. (Osho, “Tao, Its History and Teachings”)
For me:
Painting is the way I express myself, the way I communicate my personal view of both the world and life. It is not a hobby: it is something essential, visceral, which Rilke –the poet- called “a need.”
Furthermore, it is a way to defeat time and death, a way to perpetuate my dreams.
No. 2) What inspires you?
I have painted ever since I was a little girl.
When I began to exhibit my paintings, the first themes which inspired me were my childhood memories, my family, the world of my grandparents: I didn’t want that world to vanish; I thought it could be somehow immortalized in my works. I felt that I had to pay a tribute to my beloved grandfather and grandmother from my mother’s side, innate craftsmen – a carpenter and a shirt-and-dress-maker, respectively. Their gifted hands, which used to fix and make everything blossom, were inherited by my mother, who arranged flower centerpieces, her grandson’s costume, or my wedding hairdo with the same devotion. Today, all those hands –that preceded those of the artist’s- join together in my hands, which try to express beauty, order, fantasy, and harmony.
Later, I focused my attention on the surrounding world, my country: Argentina, and its habits; and within that context the Tango theme loomed large. It is a collection full of sensitivity and nostalgia. That stage lasted approximately ten years, including detailed and descriptive works.
Since 2000, I have begun to go through a different phase in both my life and my work.
A few tough events which I had to face at that time –the loss of some beloveds, and a sheer feeling of fragility and uncertainty- undoubtedly impacted my “perfect world” and took me to a different stage.
I started leaving behind the thorough description of the past, of a neat world, opening up to fantasy and imagination.
During this stage I worked in “The equilibrists” series. I also called them my “Magical Paintings”.
Circus characters, masked characters and harlequins look for a night full of fantasy even though their lives are hanging by a thread. It’s a poetic stage that leads me to the land of magic and dreams, where real and unreal things become blurred…
Then, “The equilibrists” grew, changed and arrived to the “business man”, a common executive, a man of the XXI century, lost in abstract areas, crossing empty cities, looking for balance and answers in an inhospitable and indifferent world, today’s world.
Summing up, the topics that have inspired me are:
my memories, Tango, dreams and fantasy, the solitude.
No. 3) When you are painting, creating, where does it take you? I mean where does your mind (spirit) travel?
When I ‘ m painting, the real world disappears, the daily problems vanish. I become partly of the artwork: I can be an aerialist or a harlequin crossing the sky in a bicycle. I become magician, dancer, moon, tree, rainbow.. any thing. My spirit travels to the inside world of the painting.
I slip along the canvas in each brushstroke, I enjoy each color. I become in blue, green, ochre… I don’t think about anything else. Each new painting becomes my whole life while the creative process lasts.
No. 4) Do you feel painting (art), music and health are related and if so, how do you see it?
You’ve asked me about three of the most important things in my life.
Art is my whole life, I’ve been painting for almost 30 years.
My young son is a musician. He plays bass,
piano, guitar, and he’s studying Indian music. My house is plenty of music: jazz, rock, tango, fusion…
We keep a balanced diet, love yoga and take care about our health and happiness. Art is the best medicine for anyone.
Art, music and health are related in my life, but when I´m painting I don´t listen to music. I paint in silence.
Music is a very powerful influence, I prefer it not to interfere in my creative process. When I make a recess, I put music to relax myself.
I made a connection way between my painting and music, at the opening of a solo show of my artworks in 2008. I invited my son’s jazz duet to play live. It was a great experience and the public loved it.
No. 5) When you are creating, painting, how do you feel?
In the creating process I feel totally free. Vassily Kandinsky said that artists are freer in their art than in their own lives. And I agree with him.
As I told you before, when I’m painting the daily problems vanish.
Sometimes, when I think that I‘ve been able to capture my idea on the canvas, it makes me the happiest woman in the world. Nevertheless, when the creating process becomes difficult, it makes me feel disappointed.
When I was young, if I didn’t really like a finished work, I was able to throw it to the garbage, and I did it many times.
But, now I’m learning that artworks have their own life, they don’t belong to me. Anybody could like any of my paintings, even if I don’t like it that much.
No. 6) Do you identify with your subjects?
For more than ten years I painted my family memories and my surrounding world, represented by the typical argentine music, the Tango. This stage was completely autobiographical and subjective. I painted my own youth life.
Then, in my “Magical Paintings” series, when I entered into the land of dreams, I found a new space where I dare to be braver than in my real life.
My characters travel and have fun, more than myself, they don’t fear anything. I love and admire them, I would like to be one of them.
No. 7) When do you do your best work?
In order to work happy and relaxed, I like to be alone in my quiet studio. I don’t like to paint with people looking at me. I listen to music only in the breaks. I generally paint during no more than 3 or 4 followed hours. An artwork takes me several work sessions. I don’t like to paint in a hurry, with a date limit.
My art studio, a small, colorful and silent place, is my refuge, my place in the world. There I can do my best works during wonderful afternoons.
No. 8) Does painting help you connect with your higher self, whatever that may be for you?
I believe that Art it’s a bridge between earth and heaven. During my hours painting, I find my personal “meditation”.
No. 9) Many people seem to think that school kills creativiy. How do you see that?
No. 10) What would be a very simple solution?
I will answer both questions, since they are so related.
Osho says:
“Very few people are accepted as creative: A few painters, a few poets – one in a million. This is foolish! Every human being is a born creator. Watch children and you will see: all children are creative. By and by, we destroy their creativity. By and by, we force wrong beliefs on them. By and by, we distract them. By and by, we make them more and more economical and political and ambitious. When ambition enters, creativity disappears – because an ambitious man cannot be creative, because an ambitious man cannot love any activity for its own sake. While he is painting he is looking ahead; he is thinking, ‘When am I going to get a Nobel Prize?’ When he is writing a novel, he is looking ahead. He is always in the future – and a creative person is always in the present. We destroy creativity. Nobody is born uncreative, but we make ninety-nine percent of people uncreative.”
In “Creativity: Unleashing the Forces Within”, he explained that school kills creativity. All little children are creative; playing, they experience “incorrect ways”. Then, in school they learn the correct way of making everything and they become almost in robots. Becoming efficient, they lose creativity and spontaneity. The schools are only in charge of the left cerebral hemisphere, that of logic, mathematics, order. The right hemisphere, that of imagination, poetry, dreams, love, is destroyed.
School only trains the memory, accumulates information like an encyclopedia, and children lose their true intelligence and happiness.
This kind of education should change. Children have to train using both cerebral hemispheres.
The good news are that there are already schools which incorporate many workshops and student programs, experimenting with so many arts: music, theatre, sculpture, body painting, film making, photography, visual art, dance, etc… This will help to raise more creative and happier adults (artists and non artists).
I’ve recently watched a very interesting video about this subject. It almost lasts 20 minutes, but it is worthwhile. I recommend it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPB-41q97zg
You can share it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RRdBXRr0kw
Graciela, this has been a fascinating journey into your world, thank you so much for this most interesting article. Until we meet again, be blessed!
TO THE READER:
You are invited to visit Graciela’s links to see more of her wonderful art and to learn more about this great artist. Your comments are appreciated and also, please leave your e-mail address if you wish to be informed of new developments.
http://www.gracielabello.com.ar
Blog (in Spanish):
http://gracielabello-art.blogspot.com
My magical paintings on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzKm6ujI5V4
My gift store on Zazzle:
http://www.zazzle.com/gracielabelloarte/
ENJOY!
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Comments
La obra de Graciela Bello es sutil, armoniosa, como imágenes de un cuento de hadas. Cuando uno la observa, va descubriendo historias, cuentos de ficción, que sin querer se las compara con historias reales. Transmite dulzura y al mismo tiempo podemos palpar energía, decisión, seguridad en la técnica empleada. La obra queda totalmente “redondita” terminada. No queda duda que Graciela decide con determinación qué quiere realizar y mostrar! Lo logra en su totalidad y le hace honor a su apellido: ¡La obra es bella como Bello es su apellido! Bravo Graciela!
I can’t be very objective on this matter since I’m her son! Nevertheless, I really liked the interview, and I can say that I’ve always loved her paintings, and that she lives what she says, she’s very passionate with her paintings and in life. I’m probably one of her biggest fans so I can’t say much more than “Thank you!!” =)
Soy admiradora de la pintora Graciela Bello.
Es sumamente placentero el contemplar cada trabajo.
Desde un punto de vista distinto al que ven otros….
Eso es lo que convierte a su obra en especial,diferente
y sumamente atractiva. Brevísimo !!!!!
Absolutely share your broad concept about the Art. In addition can see that you are (such as authentic artist) a very sensitive person. What happiness power disappear from “real world” by means of creative work! My sincere congratulations on your works and your ideas.
There is the word of imaginary and dream . It’s the second access of the consciency. IT’s like flying over …and hope the better way to enjoy life.
I knew Graciela through her blog. I think she’s a great artist and a great person with a special feeling that we can see in all your work of art.
Roberto
.-= roberto´s last blog ..HOMENAJE/HOMAGE =-.
Graciela Bello, muestra con destreza su mundo de sueños y su profunda humanidad.
Un relato mágico realizado con pinceles.
Saludos y felicitaciones.
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