Art for Life – Suffering and Passion are why I create

“Life, love, suffering, anger and passion are why I create and why I am so inspired. This is why people can relate to my work; because in that sense I am not alone.” Gayle

Guest Post by Gayle Arnold – Painter/Artist – Vancouver

 

On one hand, I was born to paint. I started when I was eight and even then people were noticing how incredibly patient and absorbed I was in what I was doing. By the time high school came around one of my teachers was set on getting me accepted into Emily Carr. He pushed me and it was the first time I considered Art as a career. I always tell people that painting chose me. When I got accepted into Emily Carr I put my head down and worked my ass off to learn as much as I could. By the end of it, I was fully committed to making art for the rest of my life.

 

Art for Life –

In adolescence I began to suffer from depression and it seemed like everything was fueling that unhappiness. My first relationship was a disaster, and was followed up by further disasters. Art was always the fastest way to calm me down, it was a peaceful way for me to focus my negative energy and transform it into something positive. After high school I began having some physical health problems as well. The physical problems were interesting because they were so minor that no one could tell by looking at me, but they were significant enough to cause me a great deal of discomfort and pain. Some inherited health problems mixed with some emotional health problems and a life that appears easy on the outside created quite a few walls between people and I. Many mistook a lack of complaining as a lack of pain. I think a lot of people see me as a spoiled little rich girl, but the truth is I am a passionate and giving person who works their ass off at something which makes me no money.

I think people get lost in my work because they can see the emotion that has been invested in it. The paintings portray a certain truth that is lacking in our day to day living. Capitalism profits from lies, and sometimes it seems like the art world does too. Maybe people like my work because it lays it all out on the table. If you want to know what it’s about, you really need to open up. A lot of artists are still creating minimalist works that they write whole essays on when it’s just an abstract design. My work, especially the portraits, has been about identity and communicating without words. The body language and colour schemes of each work tell the viewer something. I have always been more interested in work that communicates without having the artist telling everyone what to think.

 

All the negative things that have happened to me are trumped by my desire to create and to be seen. My work is a lot like me, people make assumptions at first but after they take a really good look they can see the layers and depth of what’s in front of them. The truth is, I am an artist with an ego, but I am also the kid sharing half her chocolate bar, inviting you to family dinners and helping you move. I am the girl next door but I am also a talented artist. Even when I put on a suit and pretend that working in an office was what I was made to do, I will be planning my next painting; song and making people laugh and forget where they are. As unlucky as I have been, I am also blessed with a handful of friends who have become family and a family that I love more than anything. It is true I needed painting to love myself but painting is what made me love being alive.

 

 

 

 

Life, love, suffering, anger and passion are why I create and why I am so inspired. This is why people can relate to my work; because in that sense I am not alone.

To contact me or see more of my work – Please visit www.gaylearnold.com

All artwork links directly back to Gayle’s site and was shared with the consent from contributing artist – Gayle Arnold © (Copyright) All rights reserved