Exploring Art & Artist :: Ellen Schimmel Pearson

“Exploring Art & Artist” is a new feature here at OOAK Artisan Showcase. Written by Ellen Schimmel Pearson, it’s a non-artist’s exploration of the creative world.

Ellen Schimmel Pearson Portrait by Ben John Albino "I am so excited to be a part of OOAK Artisan Showcase and bring you interviews of artists around the country, and the world!  I am looking forward to meeting some interesting and passionate people, and learning what drives them, what inspires them, and how they define their art. "   ~ Ellen

For this first blog post, instead of interviewing a specific artist, Shelley asked me if I wanted to speak to the subject of art from the perspective of a “non-artist”. Well, I started to ponder this, and I began to see that art exists within a much larger boundary than I first thought.  In fact, maybe there is no boundary at all.  I spent some time thinking about what my “non-artist” definition of art is.  What I decided is that art, according to my definition, is a combination of self-exploration and self-expression.  And, given that definition, I began to look at art in a different view.

My original view of art was that of “paint on canvas”.  And, of course that is a very big part of art that speaks to so many people!  Just a walk around my home will show you how much I respect this form of art!   However, now looking at art as an avenue of self-exploration and self-expression, my view has broadened.  I have come to believe that any talent that is used in these contexts is a form of art itself.

Created by Ellen Schimmel Pearson I am a cake decorator.  I start with a blank canvas and create a design that speaks to the occasion in the best way my heart can speak to it, and I know that when my customers see my design, I have made them feel happy and loved.  That is a form of art.

When I look at my group of friends I see amazing talents that are expressions of their personalities, and I think of them as artists.

Chris Pearson Chris restores wood canvas canoes and is a builder of scale models of wood canvas canoes.   He is an artist.

Beth Hunt Beth designs jewelry that not only speaks to her creativity but also helps whoever wears it to be expressive.   She is an artist.

Tracy Barnett @ Ultimate Catering Tracy is a caterer.  Her dream has always been to be an artist but felt she could not make a career out of it.  So, she became a caterer.  When she sets up a cater, she serves the food in breathless presentations.  So breathless that people just have to take pictures of it!   She is an artist.

Jeff Haltenhoff Jeff is a musician and creates music. When he speaks of his work, he says, “Creating is random, you never know what the end result will be.”   He is an artist.

Rose Pearson Instagram @ Bohemian_yogini Rose is a yoga student and teacher. During the act of yoga, or of teaching and assisting her students in yoga, she uses that avenue to explore and express her true inner beauty, as well as theirs.   She is an artist.

Whenever I see a classic movie and enjoy Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers sweeping across the dancefloor, I think, “That is art". How true of all these above examples of art forms!  You never know the end result because it is constantly developing as you work at it, becoming the expression of your innermost being. And the reason we can engage in our artforms over a lifetime is that we are always changing, and therefore our expressions of ourselves are also changing.

So, come and take a walk with me!  Let’s spend the upcoming months getting to know many different artists.  Maybe they will inspire you to begin or to continue your own journey of art. Join me as we celebrate these artists, as we have a glimpse into the exploration of their lives and the expression of their souls.  Because life is not just to be watched without feeling, to exist without participation, to explore and not to express.  Life is to feel, to love, to engage, to challenge, to celebrate.  Stay tuned in upcoming months to begin this journey of exploration!

The portrait of Ellen above was created by Ben John Albino. Ben is an artist from the Philippines who is represented by OOAK Artisan Showcase. I've been working with Ben for over a year now and have sold many of his paintings and drawings. He created Ellen's painting using colored pens and watercolors.  IF you are interested in having a portrait done please contact me at sales@ooakartisanshowcase.com .

GIVE to the ARTS! You can also sponsor this young artist by becoming an art patron for as little as $5 a month, it goes a very LONG way in his country! Any amount you donate will be appreciated!  VISIT  his Patreon webpage. 

Stay tuned as Ellen will be interviewing Ben in our next installment of "Exploring Art & Artist"