I have been watching documentaries on NetFlix Instant on two of my favorite passions: food & art. I will spare you the politics of mass food production, but I will share this inspiring segment from Art City (season 1, ep. 3) “A Ruling Passion.” Sitting with Louise Bourgeois in her studio, she shows us how she draws and controls her fears. Being cooped-up and lamenting on my own, I was very moved and decided to do my own interpretation as well (above).
She starts with a circle. “This drawing that I am going to do now is stemmed from a fear. Everything is stemmed from a fear.” (Louise Bourgeois)
“So I am going to indicate my space – and I am going to put inside – what is in this space is under my control.” (Louise Bourgeois)
“I put the fear here, another one there, a bigger one here.” (Louise Bourgeois)
“Under my control, I want my fears. That means I have my fears under my belt!” (Louise Bourgeois)
I get all warm & fuzzy whenever she is on camera; something within me completely lights up. She is very inspiring to listen to and the act of drawing out your fears is very powerful (art magic!)
Speaking more on the topic of fears, the book Art & Fear (Bayles & Orland) on my bookshelf comes to mind. I keep a few art self-help books like this around when I’m working late into the wee hours and need a little boost.
The first abstract image is not the first time I have attempted to draw out my fears though. Working through some personal issues on resistance in 2009, Julianna Takacs (yoga coach extraordinaire) had me describe and physically create my fear (below) then mail it to her in an envelope. I loved the look on the postal worker’s face when she caught me “weighing” my gnarly-looking fear for postage and sending it on it’s merry way…
copyright in order of appearance: colorful circles © 2012 Andrea Sparacio (artsparrow), Louise Bourgeois photo © Annie Leibovitz, screen grabs © Art City/NetFlix, Louise Bourgeois linocut (left side) © 2009 Carri Skoczek, Art & Fear book cover © Image Continuum Press, “fear root” © 2009 Andrea Sparacio (artsparrow)
Art & Fear: Louise Bourgeois.
I have been watching documentaries on NetFlix Instant on two of my favorite passions: food & art. I will spare you the politics of mass food production, but I will share this inspiring segment from Art City (season 1, ep. 3) “A Ruling Passion.” Sitting with Louise Bourgeois in her studio, she shows us how she draws and controls her fears. Being cooped-up and lamenting on my own, I was very moved and decided to do my own interpretation as well (above).