"I aspire to create empowering art that speaks to the inner strength we find during life's adversities and to remember that we are all divine beings." – Isabella Al-Sharif
After 4 years, I'm reviving my creative interview series #inspirations4aspirations because I could use some inspiration. Thankfully the inspiring & insightful @art_by_isabella_alsharif agreed to be my first guest back.
Isabella is a painter, poet and gallery curator living in Tallahassee. She grew up in various parts of South Carolina and attended the College of Charleston with a BFA in studio art. She has been artistic ever since she could remember. In her own words, "Art is the only universal language and it was the first language I ever learned."
Her paintings focus on empowered female figures with intricate patterns and iconography. Her ornate gold leaf and vibrant acrylics give the women a holy, reverential quality. Each poem is accompanied by poems which are, in my opinion, are just as beautiful and fascinating as her visual masterpieces.
Given Isabella's emphasis on highlighting female artists, I borrowed the portrait's pose from the self portrait of Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun. The typography is inspired by the type used on Nuda Veritas (1889) by Gusav Klimt. I tried to include patterns and motifs from Isabella's work: like the sun and moon, hummingbird (like those in her painting "Common Thread"), and the halo (similar to the one in "Carry Me"). The dress is inspired by one worn in Isabella's "Letting Go" piece with added patterns. Motherhood is important in her pieces, hence the tiny baby in her bracelet (akin to her "Loves labors lost").
I’m so grateful she took the time to speak with me.
Where are you from and/or where did you grow up?
I grew up in various parts of South Carolina and attended College of Charleston with a BFA in studio art.
Were you always artistic?
Yes, ever since I can remember. Art is the only universal language and it was the first language I ever learned.
1) Why do you create?
I create to connect to my purpose and the deeper aspects of myself in a world full of noise & distraction. Art reminds me that we are all connected to a universal source and that our life has a deeper meaning that we can channel through our own unique gifts.
2) When life gets you down, what inspires you to get back up?
As I get older, it gets easier and easier to get back up. I remember my own resilience in past experiences, and I know that it is possible to overcome every adversity. I believe we are here in this life to transform into various versions of ourselves, and that oftentimes includes a process of destruction in one way or another. Everything is a lesson and once you view life in this way, you will not fall into a state of despair. You will find a way out. I ask myself "What did I learn from this?" and that will encourage me to move forward. Art also helps me process those difficult emotions within the transitory process.
3) Can life be fully expressed through visual and poetic means?
I always say that Art is the only universal language that unites us all regardless of race, creed, religion or gender. It speaks to the humanity and pure essence within all of us, and I believe that it is the only way we can truly express ourselves while simultaneously connecting to one another.
3.5) Speaking of expressing ourselves, you often write poems accompanying your art. Does the act of creation feel different writing than painting? Does the inspiration come from the same place or somewhere else?
That's a great question. They are two branches of the same creative tree which draw nourishment from the roots of a powerful creative force. I often paint first and then write a poem after it is complete. It is often like the way we process life, we receive a visual image and then we feel inspired to write about our experience of that image. Even though they are two different mediums, the source is the same.
4) Do you think motherhood has changed how you see the world and how you create?
Motherhood has completely changed my entire being & worldview. I never truly understood the strength of women, until I had my daughter. This strength inspired me to have more reverence for all the past generations of women who have moved humanity forward despite all the odds. Becoming a mother is a test of strength from a physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional perspective simultaneously. This strength inspired me to create a visual representation of its essence as it relates to the experience of womanhood.
4.5) What does gold leaf mean to you?
Gold leaf represents divinity to me. It is the illumination of our consciousness and that is why it is commonly used in historical orthodox paintings. Its metallic essence shines in almost any light, even darkness, and I find that so beautiful.
Many thanks to my inspiration and aspiration, Isabella Al-Sharif. I’m John Lhotka, wishing you a nice day, and all that jazz.