San Miguel Art magazine/ August | Page 6

alone, where my artist’s journey began, creating posters for the Roman theater and working in a graphic design studio. From there, I travelled the world, then moved to New York City, started my own graphic design studio, and learned how to communicate a message that captured both attention and feeling. Always, I was self - taught. It was feeling and fascination that were my teachers, not professors. It was only when I moved to Woodstock, New York – pregnant with my first child – that my artistic sensibilities fully opened up. It was then, in a conversation with my husband, that I embraced the fact that my Spiritual Master, Baba Muktananda, used to call me the “Painter”. Why he used that word, I had no idea, but now I was curious. So, I sat down with a small photograph of him and painted his portrait, in oil. It was a true channeled experience I will never forget. Time fell away. I became entranced. And when I was done, three hours later, I realized I not only had a gift, but a calling. I began with portraits, moved on to landscapes, then mosaics, oil pastels, photography, and now, 20 years later, digital art. Living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, has opened up my artistic palette to a whole new level. My first creations here were oil portraits of the people I encountered on my walks – flower vendors, abuelas, and musicians– people most tourists took for granted. And then one day, 12 years ago, sitting in a park, I heard a sound – the sound of drums and bells and shakers. I looked up and was astounded at what I saw – Hun dreds of dancers, dressed in outrageous costumes, walking in my direction. These people, I learned, were the Concheros or Chichemeca dancers, enacting a sacred tradition that had been going on for hundreds of years. I photographed as many of them as I could – not as a tourist taking pictures, but as a visual artist attempting to amplify beauty. These people inspired me – the way they moved, what they stood for, their nobility, creativity, and commitment. Stunned by what they evoked in me, I kept searching for new ways to more fully express what I was seeing – a way that would enable others to pause, reflect, and appreciate what these dancers were all about. After a great amount of experimentation, I realized, with my digital art, I could amplify the moment, making more accessible, to others, the spirit and beauty of these amazing people. As an artist, I am on a lifelong quest to find my voice – what I have to say and how I want to say it. It’s voice that I care about – true meaning – not art trends and style. And while I may never be as well -known as two of my earliest