Art
Maternity Series - Artist Statement
Color is a focus of my work for a variety of reasons, but the main reason is for healing. My father was an angry and violent man. He took out his rage on his family daily and I took it upon myself to protect my mother and brother from him by becoming the focus of his fury. We didn’t have much, but my mother filled our home with colorful art to bring radiance into an otherwise dark place. I followed in her footsteps and escaped into vibrant art of all shapes and forms. Getting into the flow of mindful art creation has been the single most important part of my healing. I hope to share the happiness that colorful art brings me with others, especially children.
Heart In Hand
Heart in Hand. Because that’s who I am. What brings me the most fulfillment is genuinely connecting with people and the only way to do that is through vulnerability.
Moorea
I wish I could go back to those moments and tell myself that everything will work out and that I would regret not being present. You couldn’t tell from my pictures what I was going through. You can never tell with anyone. And *that* is how social media can lie.
Am I Always Happy?
Someone recently asked me if I’m always happy and laughing and no, I am not. Most of my life I struggled with depression and anxiety. For me, medication only made things worse since it took away my creativity and resulted in some harmful and compulsive behaviors.
New Mediums
Before I dive into a large project, I always: 1. read tutorials or watch YouTube/Skillshare videos. Someone has used the medium before and is willing to teach 2. test it out. 3. take note of mistakes and learn from them.
I've Come a Long Way
Art has saved me twice. First as a child, creating art was the only thing that helped me deal with the constant terror and destruction in my household.
My "Brand"
Brand? I’m not a commodity. What is a “brand” when it relates to a person? Is it who they genuinely are or is it the image they portray? My art is my truth.
When I am in Nature
There is no place I’d rather be than the outdoors - free and inspired. Taking my art back into the inspiration it came from, and posing with it, is everything to me. ⠀
Extroversion and Introversion
In order to acquire the skills it takes to be an artist you have to be okay with being by yourself. I think this plays a key role in artists being in touch with themselves and their emotions. We dive deep in them. We don’t try to escape them but rather we channel them into our art.
The Challenges of Abstact Painting
I face the same challenge in life and in my career. I always have the urge to do more - I want to add more, be more, love more, learn more. I have an insatiable appetite to grow.
Hidden Myself
This creative process is life changing. My art transforms me and I in turn transform my art. Now, when I introduce myself, I say “My name is Lona, and I am an artist.” THAT is what defines me - my heart and my soul.
History of Mandalas
Mandala comes from the Sanskrit word “mandal” which means circle. It is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism (and also Buddhism) that represents the universe. It has become popularized (aka appropriated) in pop culture by people who do not understand the meaning or significance of it.
Muse
There are certain energies that inspire me the most. I seek them out, crave being in their presence. A short interaction is all I need to sustain my creativity. It can be energy from a person, a place, music, animals, experiences... options are limitless I just have to seek them out.
Focus
One of the things that I struggle with when I want to make art is focus. As soon as I walk into my studio my brain starts firing in a thousand different directions. I think about all of the possible projects and this paralyzes me.
A Long Way
I’ve come a long way to stand where I’m standing - and I am grateful. Art has saved me twice. First as a child, creating art was the only thing that helped me deal with the constant terror and destruction in my household. After I got out of that situation, I took a long break from art and then it saved me again as an adult when I poured my heart and soul into my career (and the people I led) at UCSF and burned out from it. Art has given me purpose. It has helped me discover who I am and what I am capable of. It has given me a tremendous amount of inner power and confidence. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I can’t wait to see what I will manifest in 2020.
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I can’t wait to see what I will manifest in 2020.
Destroyers and Creators
Last night I was laying in bed thinking about how amazing it is that I am manifesting art into the world. Let the destroyers destroy. I will remain a creator. I was born to create. ⠀⠀
The Dilemma
I worry about my freedom in expressing myself creatively if I choose to become a full-time artist. Will I continue to explore all forms? Or, will I start restricting myself to what people buy or what they “like”?
Psychedelic
Colors make me feel joy. Pure joy. Perhaps the way people feel when they take psychedelic drugs. I’m addicted to the process - especially with resin art. When I drop the vibrant inks into the resin and watch it take form, I stand there transfixed and nothing else matters. The colors make me present; and when I am present, I am joyous. How could I not be? Life is magical when I create.
Freedom of Abstract
I like alternating between the rigor of detailed drawings/paintings and the freedom of abstract. These resin pieces are wild. It takes skill, but I have less control over the outcome.
Existential Crisis
For a while I was having an art existential crisis. I felt like I didn’t really have direction and I was all over the place. Is my focus woman? Is it mandalas? Resin? Since I am not a full time artist, I don’t need to define a style and that gives me more freedom.
Day Job
My role is all about relationships and there is nothing I enjoy more than getting to know and connecting with someone else - not even art. It certainly is not an 8-5 job. There are weeks where I can hardly find any balance at all - especially when I travel. But, I will always find time for a little art.
Back to Art
Life events have that ability. The ability to take what you think you know about yourself and make it disappear. And then you are left there questioning everything. Who are you? What are your values? What are your needs?
Stress
I think it is because I was a child I was most creative when I was stressed - when I was barely surviving. It was my escape. It was a way for me to deal with my circumstances. 2 years and 10 months ago, I was desperate for an escape and like magic, art came back to me. It saved me. Now, I am free of that pain and happy again so I need the stress of limited time to fuel my creative spark.
My First Commissioned Piece
I still remember the look on her face when she first saw it. Disgust. "This isn't what I wanted" she said in a tone that was bitter, almost irate. I remember entering the room and her reaction, I don't remember much else.