artist spotlight
Nature ’ s Gift to Artists : Pausing Leads to Creating
By Martina Sestakova
Wide open fields , sun warming up the ground , barns peeking through trees . When exploring our area , I recall the words of American poet Mary Oliver : “ Around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out , ‘ Stay awhile .’” The Agricultural Reserve offers much in terms of explorations and much when it comes to resting and creating . Like Oliver , I am an avid walker and have had a chance to enjoy many trails and parks in Montgomery County . While she grabbed a notebook and jotted down her observations , I pause , take in the colors I see around , and I paint . Let ’ s take a look at how nature ’ s powers relate to us and may inspire our creativity . Along the way , you may discover your own way of celebrating this special connection to nature .
As an art educator , I often convey ideas behind creativity to my students . There seem to be two stellar values in an artist ’ s journey , and I believe they are closely related to the time spent out in the countryside . First , nature allows us to pause . When we step out of our homes , head out of towns , and set foot on a quiet path , we experience the calming of our mind and release of many of our stressors . It is in this awareness that we get to pause and restore an overall sense of ourselves as part of something bigger . Everything we see and experience gets imprinted in our hearts and our minds . This experience is priceless to any human , and in particular , to an artist . As one , I can confirm that a piece of art created last week may hold resem- blances of a hike taken many years ago . Everything is both fleeting yet important and will reappear at some point in our lives .
The second aspect of creativity is curiosity . As we rest and slow down , for instance , at a local winery , curiosity — this lovely feature of the human brain to know — sets in and we get to learn and create something new as a result . For some it may be a great conversation , for others , it may be a painting . Have you ever stumbled upon an ant hill and just stood there staring for a bit ? Have you ever observed the clouds above you for a long time ? I believe we have all done this . While living in Poolesville , MD , for a few months in 2018 , I embarked on exploring and to this day can recall many a lovely sunset , reading a book by Edward ’ s Ferry while watching the water go by . Our curiosity does not need to be measurable in the terms of facts we may learn ; it can be expressed in our love for colors we wear in our clothing , the words we write as a lyric in a song of our own … The list goes on .
Martina Sestakova engages in textile design , painting , and art education . Her scarves have been featured on Voice of America and at the Smithsonian American Art Museum ( DC ). In her abstract paintings , she communicates words and their meanings through colors and shapes . Martina offers workshops and brings creativity to the public and communities with limited access to the arts . Martina is a board member of the Montgomery Art Association and resides in Kensington , MD .
38 plenty I autumn harvest 2021 Photo : Martina SestakovA , Poolesville , MD