The Process of Letting go: The "5 Days of Artistic Works by Angely Martinez" Series

Photo and Artwork by Angely Martinez.

I usually write about things that focus on the bridge between art and fashion, but never about my own artwork.  The last few months have been a life changing time for me...Well, let's say, this whole year.

After several months of being unable to create absolutely nothing, I got back in touch with my artistic side earlier this fall after presenting my previous jewelry work at the same jewelry course I took a few years ago while at LIU.  A little bit of wire, listening to Lady Gaga's ARTPOP, The Reflektors, and other great music, plus going to museums and using materials I already have at home, lead me to create new pieces and to transform other objects.

During the process of creating these works, I realized it was all about one thing: letting go. It was all about letting go of my thoughts and allowing my mind to take me whichever way it could.  One piece lead to the other, and the other piece lead to something else.

Sometimes we get so cut up in one thing that we loose track of other things that are important to us. That is part of life, of growing up, but we cannot let it take the best of us. In many cases, it is in the most struggling stages of our lives when our creativity can take us places we never thought we would.  Like Brandon Stanton ("Humans of New York") said in an interview for TIME's 30 Under 30 series, it is all about the continuous process of "working" and not getting so cut up in having the best idea. Therefore it is truly the process of letting go, of starting something that will lead somewhere else.  This has been one of the toughest years I have ever faced (and I do not believe it is the last one), specially finding my way in the world and dealing with "the trials and tribulations" of life after college.

Reconnecting with art has greatly alleviated my worries, feelings of hopelessness, and the feeling of being stuck. Little by little, I am letting them go through the process of creating things to express myself.

For the first time ever, I will be sharing some of my new work on my blog and mostly to the public (although I publish a few little fun things now and then on Instagram); it is time to show it and to let go.

In the next 5 days, I will be publishing the works I have created this year as part of my new series, 5 Days of Artistic Works by Angely Martinez. Use the #artisticworksbyam to spread the word.

Stay Tuned...

Your turn: What are the ways in which you use your creativity? How has it help you during difficult times?

Artistic Minds: McQueen + Kahlo - Part 3

Artwork by Angely Martinez. Red Flower, 2011.  

Back in July of this year, I began the "Artistic Mind" Series with Frida Kahlo, and  then in August, I continued the series with Alexander McQueen and his fantastic work.  For the final installment of this writing piece, I want to show how these seemingly different artists have a lot of things in common, based on my own journey of discovering them.
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Always with the curiosity of understanding why I have been so attracted to the work of these two oppossite artists, I came up with different ideas on how they have a lot in common.

Both Alexander McQueen and Frida Kahlo expressed a form of personal pain through their own work. Elements of blood, torture, death, suffering, nature, violence, and beauty are very strongly present in their works.  Kahlo, had many health issues and emotional painful episodes throughout her life.  McQueen's upbringing as a child was a tough and a difficult one. He came from a modest background and faced a lot of bullying because of his sexual preferences.  Many artists use their own particular mediums of work to showcase their own lives, and they were definitely not the exception.

Every single piece showcases the complexities of their ideas and the different ways in which they saw the world around them.  Kahlo used painting to represent her personal experiences as a woman, her political and societal views. McQueen used fashion along with innovative technologies to create the greatest out-of-this-world pieces I have ever seen. From a young age, they both showed they were very talented.  Their work was very detail, showcasing their ability to bring something to life.  Kahlo has always being an influence in my own artwork, and McQueen has been a big fashion influence for me since his work was like artwork for the human body.

I fell in love with Ceramics while I was in college because it allowed me to bring things to life, to make something three dimensional, to make sculptures. This journey led me to create Ceramic shoes. Then, there's jewelry as well, where fimo and colorful things allow me to create pieces I never thought I would be able to create (I will post some of these in the near future). You may ask yourself, "Why did she add that photo to this post?." The reality is that the photo above showcases a representation of the influence both artists have had in my life so far.

Despite the fact that they both passed away in their 40s, McQueen and Kahlo left enough work to be remembered for many years to come.  They left a legacy in our society that continues to live on.

Like the flowers, they were gone too soon.

Part 1: Frida Kahlo
Part 2: Alexander McQueen

Let me know what you think in the comments below. For now, until next time in A+F by AM.