Art: A Part of Me • by Marie French

I was first influenced by art at a very early age, as my mother is a very creative person and artist in her own right. We grew up in a very creative household. We moved a lot because my father was in the military, so we were creative in our household with everything from meals to Christmas gifts. I have two brothers and two sisters and we are all creative.

Art for me has been a release, a way to work through emotional issues, an answer, and a prayer. For instance, I started painting when I was working as a designer on Madison Avenue in New York. The fashion industry can eat you up and spit you out in a day, so I needed a release to deal with the pressure. It was during this time that I painted in 3-D, so to speak, using found objects in my painting. I love to feel what I am doing so I guess I have always been involved with sculpture. My next pieces were found object collage photographs that I continue to work with in my diaries, which I have kept since well the early ‘80s.

My Prayer Vessels
Another artistic leap happened when my second daughter was born prematurely, and this is when I created prayer vessels. Each coil was formed as a prayer, and laid upon each other to form the figure of the prayer vessel. Each vessel was meditated on for a month, then the symbols painted and fired with a prayer. These became part of an exhibit held in New York galleries and Libraries titled “Prayers for Peace.” These exhibits went up around 9/11, so they were made at a perfect time. I made 108 of the vessels and people would place their prayers in them. I gave many away to cancer patients, Alzheimer’s patients, and those with ALS.

Soon after I wanted a prayerful piece I could carry around so I started making healing jewelry. This jewelry is now forming a book to be published by F&W Media in the spring of 2011, called Inspiritu: Jewelry for the Mind, Body and Soul.

A Driving Force
So as you can see art has been with me and a part of my very existence for my journey through life, and I am sure it will continue to be a driving force. It is as if art is the very blood that pours through my veins. If I couldn't make it, or create in some way, I am sure I would die. That is how much the art of creation is, so much a part of me.

To learn more about Marie French, visit mariefrench.blogspot.com.

Comments

[susanna]

Creativity certainly runs through your heart and soul, Marie. I'd love to see examples of your prayer vessels so I'll be popping by your blog in a moment. I'm so glad that I found you through Crescendoh today.