Ana's Thought: "Art is an Inspired Communicator with Imagination - it conveys its message with surprise and delight to the viewer."
Art, like all things in life, is not produced within a vacuum. No matter how strong a creator's vision, there are factors that will influence the style, colour, and content of his work.
As artists, we are mirrors of the reality that we perceive. The process of creation and reflection takes a fascinating turn when it is joined by analysis, placing art in broader context. For this reason, I feel that the role of the art journalist must be given due praise.
The rise of the Internet has granted aspiring writers with great opportunity to take to the front lines of the ever-shifting art world. It may take little more than one burst of inspiration to have the global community take notice! There are so many fine art blogs and columns available to the curious reader - from the New York Times' fantastic ArtsBeat to the Financial Times' well-curated Arts page and countless others in between. Twitter holds hidden gems for those who seek them out; sharp minds and critical eyes give offer their thoughts about current happenings in art in 140 characters or less. We live in an age of unprecedented exchange, from idea to idea - we have before us an incredible opportunity to learn.
The art journalist is a bridge builder, spanning the divide between creator and appreciator. Over the course of my career - and increasingly in recent years - I have been fortunate to find that people around the world wish to learn what drives me to create. After seeing my emotions projected onto canvas and turned to images, they want to hear my story in my own words. It is a tale I am always happy to share!
Each interviewer casts light on a different angle of the story: in Monaco's Riviera Times, the right question illuminated my deeply personal connection with the beautiful principality. Singapore's Ageless Online aimed to reach older art appreciators, asking me to give insight into the foundations of a successful career in later life. The Czech magazine Beauty & Woman provided readers with my unique definition of home, and how my art makes my home. In Mandarin, Turkish, Cyrillic, and Italian, my thoughts and experiences are given to those who wonder!
Whether or not others take a moment to glance at my art, I would still go on creating. But to know for certain that there are those who see what I have made and wish to learn more sets my will alight. Within their interest I find new impetus to create - and I hope, in turn, my work brings a spark to their lives.