An Artist Perspective: Mikel Elam on Offering
The question: What am I offering?
My first, most direct answer would be, “I offer love and compassion. Followed by spirit and peace, I choose to show you not with words but through a visual language of color and narratives about humans rising up in spite of adversity.
I offer a mirror to reflect your deepest dreams,
your pause about not being good enough.
I offer art as a way to dive within ourselves. To know there is more than on the surface.
To know you have my friendship and my continued support.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am in search of my higher consciousness, all within the constraints of this part -melanin-based vessel. Some say we arrive out of the womb already aware of our destiny. I have always gravitated towards future ideas: new approaches and ways of looking at things. I’ve been searching for humanity within the sea of infinite compassion. Simply trying to get closer to the divine. I meditate twice a day. I try to nourish my body and my soul with proper sustenance. My art practice is a continuation of these values. This often leads me to make observations about this life and its consequences.
I love all of the art forms. I am most adept with pigments and painting devices. I listen to music, watch films, and read constantly. However, when starting a painting, I work in silence. It gives me better clarity in developing a dialogue and a narrative within the art itself. Once the work can stand on its own, I can begin introducing external sounds to continue my practice.
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