Gallery Event – Elemental Integration: The Quintessence of Soul in Aesthetic Flow
Elemental Integration: The Quintessence of Soul in Aesthetic Flow
A Custom Art Exhibit for Reef Point Yoga
By local Professional Artist, Denise Hogarth Nicely
Being an artist as well as a yogi, Denise recognized and appreciated Reef Point’s use of art to inspire and engage. So, it was no surprise when a conversation with her instructor and Reef Point owner Kathi turned toward their mutual love of art.
Soon the intention was set for a custom art installation, integrating Denise’s artistic expression with Kathi’s vison through the holistic intentions of Yoga, Meditation, the Elements and the Chakras. Elemental Integration: The Quintessence of Soul in Aesthetic Flow is the product of their collaboration.
Denise specifically set an intention as she painted these pieces for the Reef Point viewers to receive a blessing as they interact with her art. For this collection Denise used materials and paints that give light interplay, create levels of intensity and meaning, and were specially chosen for quality and impact. The collection is significant, expressive, and sure to draw you in. It will inspire your yoga practice as well as your body, mind and soul.
You are invited to experience this Art Exhibition beginning in late August, and will have the opportunity to own many of her pieces at her Art Show & Silent Auction here at Reef Point on Sunday, October 14, 7-9pm.
Enjoy the Show!
A statement from the Artist: Creation of the art
What you see in the studio is a culmination of a lifetime of education and experimentation. After going through high school and college being trained to do the proper techniques and understanding of design principles, I found myself searching for a way to express through art that was distinct and exceptional. I wanted the uniqueness of who I am to be mirrored in my work. I wanted to connect with my imagination and to find ways to express my internal world of how the organic nature of paint could affect the canvas. I began the process of experimenting with mixing of different mediums and surfaces.
Initially, I took workshops and classes with well-known professional artists in their specific field to learn mastery around different mediums. I found that I wanted to be around experts so they could impart their wisdom regarding their mistakes and successes in creating so I could understand what I needed to learn to improve and ultimately create something very extraordinary and unique.
Concurrent to my development as an artist, I also was developing my connection to horses. From a young age, I was around horses – riding, showing and training them. I learned how to work with my horse’s energy centers to create an aligned partnership during the times I was horse showing.
About a year ago, I found myself looking for ways to balance the energy in my own world and myself. I started researching and engaging with the tenants of Yoga to deepen my own personal practice. I began mediating using Sanskrit words that represented the chakras, and I noticed my understanding of color start to align with the sounds and vibrations during my quiet time. I began combining the ancient symbols and meanings within my new one of a kind art process. Thus, my chakra art was born.
My Process for This Exhibition
For this exhibition at Reef Point, Elemental Integration: The Quintessence of Soul in Aesthetic Flow, I came up with a unique formula of paint combinations on different surfaces to create this one of a kind style, and the Chakra art series evolved into being. Several core pieces were painted on metal, and other pieces on Lucite (a type of acrylic polymer), glass and canvas.
On the metal pieces I used my paint method to create a luminescent base full of movement and energy with the colors. During the building of the canvas or surface, I paid attention to the weight of the paint and how it interacted with the extenders (what makes the paint fluid). Some paint was thicker than others and required my formula to shift. I also took into account the transparency and opaqueness of the paint. I balanced the opaque nature of some colors with the transparent nature of others and created a dance of color on the canvas (or metal in this case).
After the texture and placement of the paint pleased me, I then etched into the metal or painted in colors or images to enhance the work. In the Chakra series, I took Sanskrit words and matched them with the chakra color and meaning of the chakra and then developed images that seemed to best compliment both. I enjoyed the process of incorporating the yoga tenants specifically into the creation of the art. I then framed the art in Lucite, which protects it from harmful UV rays and the hardware allows for the stacking of metal and acrylic to be done with a slick high-end look.
My Intention for This Exhibition
I feel it’s my responsibility as an artist to enrich the viewer’s experience by creating visually stimulating art that suits the specific space with harmony. When I started to paint this series, I visualized the impression I wanted the paintings convey in the space here at Reef Point. I wanted the viewers to experience the richness in the art, and for the art to have a direct effect on their understanding of their own energy.
From the moment a person walks into the Reef Point studio for the temporary exhibit, they interact directly with the interplay of light with the sculptures on the table surfaces up front, allowing light to brighten their present moment. There are several pieces that can be viewed and hung from either side, not only giving two pieces in one, but also reflecting the joyous complexity of our souls. The large painting Jupiter represents flow and the element of Space, and captures the viewers’ attention to draw them in and center them. Then the dynamic colors of the Free Wheeling triangles set the tone of the movement of the chakra art along the adjacent hallway, as chakras are also called wheels. There is a light and airy stylized OM painting featured in the front niche to represent the beginning of the yoga experience, and a darker, grounded one in the back of the studio to represent the end of the yoga experience. These set the holistic intention for the viewer’s complete experience.
The themes that you will see flowing though out the space are numerous and can be found posted with more information nearby. They include chakras and wheels, the spiral – representing the inward journey, and the elements – fire, earth, air, water and space. Each chakra has an element, a color, a Sanskrit word, and specific yoga poses associated with it. All these themes can be seen intentionally reflected in and throughout the entire art exhibit.
The root, red chakra starts off the series. It is intentionally placed at the front of the studio because it represents our basic needs. Next is yellow, followed by orange, which in this case is an inverted order. I took this artistic liberty to accommodate the aesthetic appeal of red and yellow together. The chakra series moves all the way down the hallway to the crown chakra, so the viewers may experience alignment as they move through the space. Across from the chakra art in the hallway are some pieces from my personal collection which I wished to share with everyone. My desire is that this hallway engages and brings a feel of balance and enlightenment.
Then, as the viewer moves into the studio, what I imagine to be the inner sanctum, a soothing blue tone has been intentionally set to be a calming and grounding addition to the yogi’s experience. Chakras with golden thread align the wall above the chalkboard reminding the yogi’s of their body, mind, and soul connection to themselves and to one another. The two pieces at the front of this space represent the favorite mantras of Reef Point owner and instructor, Kathi, and were the inspiration for the whole exhibition, “We are all Divine Love” and “Strength with Softness.” My desire is for the yogi’s in this space to receive inspiration and blessings during their practice, and to engage with the art of well-being through my paintings. Please enjoy. Namaste.
