Somewhere In Between Breathing In And Breathing Out
Elevation
Vortex
Michele Benzamin-Miki
Artist Statement
More than 'Visual arts,' the brush can Heal, Transform, Open and Change Minds!
Art is a 'possibility filter' to see the world with..
And my art is inspired by a life time study, and mentoring people in the fields of transformation; this spiritually integrative work informs my visual art, and performance art.
The energy and intensity in my brush strokes comes from decades of study and teaching in the martial arts, meditative arts and sword forms, and often the work comes out of a ‘point zero’ inner stillness, or expansive awareness from meditating before or while producing a piece.
I want to make visible this inner world, a bigger field of phenomena that is meant to be accessed and seen. The intention is to invite the viewer to access a ‘whole body state of being present,’ in the presence of, the art. My work is inspired by many other artists who use meditation and spirituality as a part of their painting process, such as Mark Rothko, Yoko Ono, Marina Abramović, Yayoi Kusama, James Turrell, Miya Ando, and many more influences.
Painting mostly with sumi ink; I come back into a piece adding detailed drawing; images that are subliminal and appeal to multiple levels of our awareness. The figures in my work are speaking to your unconscious; rather than representing something literally. My figures are mostly female and reaffirm the positive and powerful aspects of the feminine, in pencil or other mediums, integrating the figure in the movement, rhythm and energy of the brushstrokes.
Inspired by the inner workings of the human brain and mind through my work as a trainer and mentor in meditation, hypnosis and NLP (Nero Linguistic Programing); the ancient wisdom traditions combined with new sciences, to reconnect us into our lives in an empowered way.
I am a multiracial woman whose art is greatly influenced by my Japanese ancestry and Moroccan and European Roots. My art creates an intersection between East and West, my Japanese and American heritage.