-Swami Veda Bharati

During yoga class, the instructor tells us to make each pose our own ⎯ and I like to apply this to art as well. As artists, we are part of a community. We constantly share ideas and look at each other’s work, but when we create, we make it ours.

Last month, I met with video artist and friend Christa Blatchford at her solo exhibition, See Around, at Artists Space. The original idea was for me to write a review. But then I realized that what I love most about art is when there is dialogue so we decided to have a conversation.

We began to talk about our projects early this year. We are both currently working with the idea of being in nature especially the ocean. Every time we saw each other around the neighborhood (we are almost neighbors and go to the same gym), we briefly exchanged thoughts and updates. I know she worked endless hours for this project and I was excited to see the exhibition.

When I met Christa at Artists Space, I experienced that magical feeling of seeing how an artist transforms a thought, an idea into something visual and concrete. I was fascinated to hear Christa talk about her ocean’s perspective as a video artist. And how she thought of every single detail to give viewers a glimpse of what she experienced during her various visits to Block Island ⎯ where she escaped from the city every time she could and videotaped for months.

Although our projects part from the same source ⎯ nature ⎯ they are very different. Christa’s four-channel video installation is about carefully seeing ⎯ noticing the small details often ignored while sitting, watching, videotaping, and then editing. In my performance/drawings, I visually translate how it feels while actively moving through nature.

After seeing her exhibition, we had a chance to talk about everything else. What defines us as artists, people and individuals. And there was magic again…learning who the artist really is and how who we are defines what we create.

Image:

Christa Blatchford

See Around, 2008

Four-channel video installation

The holiday season is the time when I enjoy my family and reconnect with nature at home in Puerto Rico. I can’t describe the feeling of seeing an intense blue ocean while running to the beach in the morning. Running home uphill is SERIOUSLY breathtaking!

While we were at the beach a couple of afternoons ago, we saw two kids playing and rolling in the sand. They were both having so much fun and one of them described the sand as beautifully warm.

Beautifully warm is truly how my heart feels after spending the holidays surrounded by the love of family and nature. And I want to keep this warm feeling inside of me as long as I can.

The year ahead already looks challenging. And I hope you all find ways to keep your hearts beautifully warm.

Photo: Iguana staying beautifully warm in the morning sun, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico