“What is life?
Life is living in this moment,
experiencing and experimenting
but experience isn’t life.
Life is reflecting and meditating
but reflection isn’t life.
Life is helping and guiding
but philanthropy isn’t life.
Life is eating and drinking
but food isn’t life.
Life is reading and dancing
but art isn’t life.
Life is kissing and pleasuring
but sex isn’t life.
Life is winning and losing
but competition isn’t life.
Life is loving and caring
but love isn’t life.
Life is birthing and nurturing
but children aren’t life.
Life is letting go and surrendering
but death isn’t life.
Life is all these things
but all these things aren’t life.
Life is
always more.” ~ Kamand Kojouri
This poem resonated deeply with me and reminded me of why I love being an artist. As an artist, you are always on the search for the meaning of life and love. Some of the things that influence me while I paint are my feelings, the mood of the area around me, and what is currently drawing me in. The inspirations can come from a hike in the woods, vacations, memories, or how the light hits a certain petal at the current time. The art created, isn't one piece, but the whole portfolio and how it shows a life of the artist. Each feeling, mood and inspiration can be seen in the artists portfolio. You can see when they were reflecting, or caring, or struggling through life. When you see a piece, think of it as an extension of the artist and their deepest thoughts, joys and passions and let it bring some of that into your home.