Elaine Weiner-Reed (EWR) - On the Importance of Dreams and Becoming an Artist

Art Defying Boundaries

"Each person is a book or medley of
memories

 and each story choreographed in time 

is as unique as the actors and their lives."

    Have you ever wondered:  How does one end up as (or become) an Artist? What characteristics or traits and what events in their lives have led them to their creative journey? What makes an artist tick? How are they wired? How do they think? What motivates them and keeps them going...? 

     After being asked those questions hundreds of time, I thought it was the moment to share a few insights into how and why I turned to art, became an artist, and have made art all my life. For me, it was a series of choices...or perhaps I really had no choice at all. Regardless, I would not change a thing or any step in my art journey. I have an innate need to create, to think, to question and ponder, and to explore and experiment. I love traveling and reading and writing. Most recently, a trip to Ireland unlocked new interests...and could even result in a new landscape series in time. Everything in life is food for thought and material to incorporate into my work. Even my insomnia contributes to it and is testament to my active and analytic mind.

      I am a 'people person' and I love learning about people, their lives, and their backgrounds. Their stories fascinate, move, and inspire me. Connecting with people - even passing strangers in a grocery store line - teaches me about them and about life itself...and leads me to contemplate life and motivations, relationships and emotions, and most of all: the ties that bind one to another. 

      What defines or helps shape our style of relationship-building begins when we are children. Everything revolves around those formative years, our social network and support (or not) systems. While growing up, we shape our mind, hearts, and souls; our needs are defined...and so is our will. My life inspired me to push myself beyond my roots and fears and limitations. I bet your life has done the same for you.

French Classes led me to the International Club in High School, which led me to make my Can-Can costume and dance onstage at the Club's big event. Who knew??... I don't think my Mother ever recovered...

     Following is a short version of my story of how I became an Artist: 

Her Dreams Become Her

      A creative, independent streak was hard-wired into me from birth, as I emerged first from the womb shared with my twin brother. Struggling for an identity separate from the twin mystique and “twins should not be separated” philosophy of the day, I sought freedom from potential limitations of a co-dependent reality (I was always referred to as half of a unit), and rejected predetermined sets of boundaries or rules. The search for originality and a distinctive identity sharpened my mind, honed my innate inquisitiveness, and forged an intuitive soul that fiercely guards and nourishes my art and my creative identity. 

     I believe that each painting or creation has its own story to tell and reflects the personal vision, emotions, history, and culture of its creator. I work on several paintings in a series simultaneously – both for practical and philosophical reasons: it allows me to explore multiple creative threads, and it also allows my paintings to mature, cure, or dry. I use line, color, and shape placement or composition to create iconic or allegorical reflections of relationship complexities, dimensions, and inter-dependencies to resurrect feelings of transcendence, mystery, and hope. 

     When we are young, we often dream. Therein lies hope and possibility... In dreaming (daydreams and more), I formed my goals and set my course. Dreams are and always have been very important to me: they inspire and they guide me, they alert me, they help me solve problems, and they make me think. In that dream state, we are connected to energy that is beyond our conscious thought. In dreams, I find my muse... 

Elaine Weiner-Reed (EWR) - "Grace" - Clay Bas-Relief

Because pictures are worth a thousand words, here is a short video. 

 I hope you will enjoy this short video biographical sketch of where dreams

 and a lifetime of work has taken me so far... I am excited about where I might go next...

Thank you for stopping in. 

I appreciate your support and I hope to hear from you soon. Please
let me know if my story speaks to your own or inspires you in some way.

Yours in Art,

  Elaine 

© 2016 - Elaine Weiner-Reed (EWR)
 All images and content remain the property of the Artist. All rights reserved.