“Perspective”                                                                                                                                                     Can Be Seen Michaels Cuisine Fort Worth, TX  Contact for Pricing

There was a time in my young artist life that I used the act of creating  art for emotional therapy.  What was designed for fun became an expression of release.  I found a therapeutic experience happening with each visit to the canvas.  The more time I spent with the canvas the more layers of benefit I started to realize.  The act of creating become a conduit for development of  my perspective.   It was a vessel of growth as an artist, which also inspired the  woman in me to grow and feel safe to reveal herself.

Today my life work has been to share all the wisdom, inspiration and love I have found in my journey and share it with whomever crosses my path.  I use the  world of art as a metaphor for life.  I use the labor of creating art as a kinesthetic learning experience that is physical, practicing a trade or craft, mental, engaging logic through  creativity and imagination and emotional, regulating your emotions to communicate with clarity through accessing honesty and allowing it to be revealed.

When I created “Perspective” it was a time I was challenging my own definitions of life and transforming the obstacles, fear and hardships into something which could inspire me into something greater.  I was facing down my fear and upset in search of my own personal peace.  What the canvas gave to me was the valuable wisdom of 4 point perspective.  The Art world defines perspective in 6 categories from zero to four point perspective and foreshortening.

Using the definitions of perspective in the art world I invite my young artist to “See Like An Artist Sees.”  To see their work and life from as many vantage points they can access.  Just before I declared being an artist I was at zero perspective.  As I spent more time embracing the artist world I grew my perspective and as my artist perspective grew in the safe environment of the inanimate objects of my canvas and paints I grew my emotional perspective.  My work started to communicate to the viewer in a more powerful way as my external relationships became richer with layers of compassion, empathy, insight and love.

“Perspective” was about choosing to see the beauty of life.  Choosing to see the opportunity in any moment.  When I engage a shelled up emotionally wounded young artist (they come in all physical ages), I have them join me in the labor of creativity.  In the moment they do something new, they have changed their perspective in a minute way and that small window now created in their mind can be the opening to an entire new life.  It’s not about the story it’s about the perception of the story that matters most.  If  all of us can shift our perspectives into something that empowers we become conscious creators.  And that my friend is my perspective for all of us, to be dynamic dreamers connecting with each other mutually perceiving the world through the lens of what is beautiful about any moment and especially about our own heART and what we each came to this lifetime to express!

Brandi Cottingham is a Fort Worth Artist/Facilitator working with groups from  2-1000 focused on the spirit of collaboration.  2017 Brandi announced her next creation of BeArtSee-a non profit organization with the mission to use the labor of creating art to impact social change.  BeARTSee Studio is located in West 7th every Friday and Saturday Brandi’s studio is open to the public as a space for all artist to create.  If your heART would like to partner with Brandi and other committed visionary artist and community leaders by contributing to funds which will produce programing for community art projects.  Make your voice heard Donate Today!