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Art - The Great Healer
As a professional contemporary artist for several years, pursuing my MA in Fine Art has proven to be an immensely transformative journey for both myself and my art.
Through this experience at the Open College of Art, I am finally creating the art I have long yearned to produce. The opportunity to study alongside fellow artists is in itself an important aspect of this journey.
With a background in Economics and Sociology, I was previously a self-taught artist. However, delving into the world of art and collaborating with other artists has allowed me to truly define my identity as an artist, fostering confidence in this newfound artistic persona.
My recent artwork reflects a profound imitation of life, a perfect symbiosis of art mirroring life and life echoing art. This ongoing journey, particularly highlighted in my current project titled "Out of the Shadows," signifies a personal metamorphosis.
Emerging from challenging times, my art has become a conduit for enhancing my life experiences. Here are glimpses into some of my recent pieces:
"Colour Your Life"
"Funfair"
In my view, art, especially painting in my context, holds the potential to be a potent healer, both internally and externally. Through self-expression, art can contribute to improving one's health and wellbeing, while also resonating with audiences in a self-affirming and life-affirming manner. Throughout history, art has served as a powerful mode of communication, possessing unparalleled healing capabilities. This tangible, sensory, and life-giving experience has inspired, motivated, communicated, and touched even the most resistant of audiences.
Scientific research supports the healing potential of art and colour. In "Your Brain on Art," it is noted that colouring has been shown to reduce physical indicators of anxiety and perceptions of anxiety, aligning with neurobiological perspectives that suggest colouring can reduce amygdala activity. Additionally, "Interaction of Colour" by Josef Albers revolutionised perceptions of visual perception, emphasising the importance of colour sensitivity in an increasingly complex world.
Amidst the challenges of our times, such as the Covid pandemic, rising living costs, identity crises, racial inequality, disillusionment, and mental health struggles, art remains a beacon of hope. Artists like Albers sought to infuse their work with qualities that elevate human sensibility and combat insensitivity.
In my own creations, such as "Built on Love," I aim to embody this ethos with vibrant colours and subjects that aim to love, inform, engage, subvert, warn, comfort, and celebrate.
Art possesses transformative powers that society must nurture and protect at all costs. Artists serve as messengers to the powers that be, offering insights and perspectives that enrich the human experience.
I aspire to live by the following philosophy for the remainder of my life:
"What you believe, you distort right away according to your knowledge. But when you let go of knowledge and go beyond symbols, at a certain point in your life, you start to become a seer. A seer is a dreamer who has mastered the dream, who has learned to see. Artist, dreamer, messenger, seer — there are so many ways to name you. I prefer to call you an artist because your whole creation is a masterpiece of art. The highest point of your journey back to you is the moment when you finally see yourself through the eyes of truth. If you can see your authentic self, you will love what you see. You see the magnificence of your presence; you see how wonderful and beautiful you are. You see the perfection in you, and this breaks any doubt that anyone else ever put in your head. You see that you are light, that you are life, and when you accept your own divinity, you become a better reflection of life. You are here to be a dreamer, to be an artist, to be a seer."
— Excerpt from "The Fifth Agreement: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery" by Don Miguel Ruiz, Don Jose Ruiz, et al.
Art is life, and life is art.
Caroline Boff is an accomplished artist whose work has graced the pages of Vogue, Tatler, Vanity Fair, House and Garden, and London Life. To explore more about her and her artwork, visit www.carolineboff.co.uk.
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