Agaves – Espejos y raíces

Ahuehuetes – Espejos y raíces

Purple Sky

EL MAR

@New Beginnings online exhibition

TAOI collective

Artists in Conversation 

Interview with  Chris Pig

Why do you make Art?

I do art because it brings me to that space where I can feel fully expressed, making art is a very liberating experience, it is a place that my inner child loves. Art brings me back to myself and it has been a very cathartic and supportive process for me. I absolutely believe in the restorative and invigorating powers of the arts; when you create and become fully expressed, a lot of things happen at so many different levels. 

What is your creative process like?

I usually tend to send my mental chatter on vacation which allows a deeper connection with my true self. I draw and paint on paper before jumping on a canvas, and I have worked in the past with wax as a medium to create sculptures which I have photographed. For me, it’s almost like meditating and a way of connecting with a fantastic energetic world that I try to bring onto paper. I observe nature and its elements and aim to connect with its essence. Once I find the foundations of my piece (lines, shapes, colours) which I draw/paint intuitively, then I can continue developing the piece. I like to put the energy of my inspirations into the artwork and allow it to speak for itself, sometimes I don’t know what the final piece is going to look like, and that’s magical! I have always associated my art process with the photographic developing process, for me the way my drawings and paintings develop, it’s like watching them emerge after photographic exposure on paper; as if I had photographed them in a kind of different world and then, through the process, the forms start to appear. 

What does your work aim to say?

Through my art I try to channel my creativity in a positive way and I like to think that my final pieces become bundles of energy that can revive and ignite and that can sooth people’s spirits if they wish and choose to connect with their energy. For me the final piece and message is not just what you see hanging on a wall but rather a personal memory, a thought, an emotion or a dream that the viewer takes away with them and that transcends space. As I mentioned before, I allow my art to speak for itself, which has been sometimes quite challenging.

What do you like most about being an artist?

The creative process of exploration and self expression and being able to communicate my ideas and inspirations through my own unique ways.     

Your work is very colourful and sometimes features circles, what is the inspiration behind it?

Through my art, I aim to bring about a process of transformation, circles represent that process of endings and beginnings but we don’t know where it ends or it begins. They also represent completion, motion, the cycles of life and wholeness and as I draw them or paint them, I feel a sense of connection with the celestial bodies and a sense of completion in a kind of ritualistic way; it’s funny but you know it’s like when you are doing a task or you have a project and you finish it, it’s that precise feeling and moment, the magnitude of that feeling is immense but that precise moment is perhaps just a second in time and that makes me think of infinity, humanity and the cosmos.

Sorry, I just realised I have told you a lot about the circles in my artwork but I haven’t mentioned anything about the colours, that for me is simple to explain, it is ingrained in my Mexican heritage! I grew up immersed in colours, the way houses are painted, our indigenous art, the food, the sweets, nature, everything!

Can you tell me more about intuitive art and how it influences your art?

Intuitive art is a creative and spiritual practice through which we learn to hear and trust our intuitive intelligence. It’s a way to communicate with our inner wisdom as opposed to our judging and analytical mind which sometimes can get in the way of our creative process through self criticism, comparison, perfectionism, etc. creating anxiety rather than nurturing our creativity, blocking possibilities instead of expanding them.  

As we befriend with our intuition we become friends with our true self and allow ourselves to explore and experiment with more freedom, we allow the materials to be, the brush to move, the paint to paint and our inner wisdom to guide us. As I infuse those elements into my practice, my creative process starts to flow. 

I find that perhaps I always did intuitive art but that I became aware of that later on in life, for me it’s been always a way to access dreamlike landscapes and invisible realms that are sometimes difficult to explain as they just are.

What are your biggest inspirations and why?

I have always been inspired by surrealism, the natural elements and the magic of alchemy. I feel that through my creative process I am transforming myself but that I am also helping people to find a positive transformation in themselves. 

My cultural background and my family experiences also inspire me, which I feel sometimes subconsciously transpire in my artwork; the vibrant colours, nature and our ancient past.

I like simplicity which can be actually a complex and difficult thing to achieve but I like to think of my art as a process of distillation, aiming to get to the essence of things.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years artwise?

I intend to inspire a holistic approach to art and creativity.

What is it like being part of a collective?

It’s awesome, I love being part of a supportive group of artists where I feel a strong sense of unity, openness and commitment. It represents a safe space where we share our experiences and knowledge and where we find constructive feedback from other artists. 

For me it’s like embarking on a very exciting journey that we know will be easier to navigate as we stick together and it’s a great platform to engage in new collaborations etc., to open up our horizons and to help each other to grow.

What has been your most touching or amazing moment you’ve experienced as an artist?

Sometimes life challenges and our own limitations keep us from our real nature, for me, the most touching and important moment was when I came to terms with my loving creative source. Lots of stepping stones were laid along the way and I have to say that not all of them were laid by myself. 

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?

I would like to mention a couple:

To have determination in life and To never give up my creativity 

    The colour language of nature, so sturdy & so glorious

Martha loves Mexican Pink! ‘Rosa mexicano’ 

Fire 

When the sky kisses the sea

Once upon a time in Mexico – Oaxaca

Palenque (Ancient name Lakamha ‘Big Water’) – Mexico

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