Interview with Helena Arturaleza

" Expression is the Key "

Helena was born in 1992 in a little village just north of Amsterdam. She has always been a creative spirit; since childhood she found her ways to express through dance, music and painting. Her artistic journey started at age 19 when she was asked to teach Art to her peers during her Media & Design education. Besides she started to receive her first commissions. As a result she skipped art school and started her life as a professional artist. With the world as her teacher she embraced life as a traveller, developed her own style and taught herself how to paint. After several years of life experience she studied with different artists at the Vienna Academy of Visionary art.

Life, colour, nature and people inspire Helena’s work. Her work is characterized by spirituality also known as Visionary art. Visionary art inspires a worldwide movement, which brings a deeper understanding of life communicated through images.

“To integrate the accumulated impulses of life, it is essential for artists to keep creating. In my view being a real artist means to pursue constant improvement. It is the collaboration between the artist and the unseen forces of inspiration that keep me motivated to improve each artwork, to keep creating, to never give up."

" Spiral of creation "

- How did you first get into art?

I made the decision to become an artist when I was about 16 years old. In high school you could find me most of the time in the art studio, I wasn’t interested to learn about History or Economics. So I ended up not finishing high school at all, instead I went to a lower degree in art and design, and I intended to go to art school after that. In the last year of the art and design education I was asked to teach art to the years below and because this study was fairly easy for me I had a lot of time to discover my own style in my free time. By the time I finished I already discovered my own style and was asked for several payed commissions. I decided not to go to the art academy because I didn’t want to be shaped by other ones ideas of what art is.

Instead I went out in the world with the project ‘Around the world in 80 paintings’ with my ex partner and artist from Chile. We traveled for 1,5 years in Central, South and North America making murals in trade for accommodation. My art academy was the world and it still is.

- Who are your biggest influences?

My mother, Amanda Sage, Autumn Skye Morrison, Josephine Wall, Luis Tamani, Susan Seddon Boulet and Tomasz Alen Kopera.

" Rebirth Earth "

- Where do you find inspiration from?

Nature is my inspiration. The name Arturaleza is merging Arte and Naturaleza (art and nature in Spanish). This is what I wish to live and represent. The harmony yet chaos in nature is a reflection of our human experience. Nature contains the formula of life itself.

Colours fascinate me; each colour carries a different vibration and they reflect my inner world. Colour is a way to express a feeling. For example: I move through periods where I wear red, whilst at other times I wear pastel colours. The spectrum of colours is very influential in my art. ‘Painting is a way to communicate with my soul and true self’ and my soul is full of colours.

As a woman I am inspired to paint the divine feminine, symbolised by empowered women. As they represent reflections of my own life experience. These paintings have recently extended towards painting empowered humans from both sexes. I capture the motion and emotion the subject is expressing, through the body posture.

Inspiration is all around, I get inspired from my rich life as a traveler and many beautiful experiences. I get inspired by the people I love, from being in love. But for example: separating from a loved one can be a big source of inspiration to. What my source of inspiration is? I would say LIFE. Both the beautiful and the difficult experiences I move trough.

" Birds of Paradise "

- How would you describe your work and the message of your art?

Visionary art is bringing a deeper understanding of life communicated through images. It is the divine knowledge and inspiration that travels through artists who are receptive to communicate and translate these images to the world.

Visionary art communicates life: Light & Dark, high & low, wisdom & destruction.

It has the purpose to let the viewer look within, to let him or her remember who we truly are.

My art reflects my insights of this earthly experience. I receive this inspiration by seeing images. I receive the visions for my paintings as if a seed is planted within me. The moment the inspiration is received the seed sprouts and finds its way up through the soil, this is when the inspiration is integrating within me. This can sometimes be a process of several months or years. When the vision is ready to be created the small plant grows above the soil and sees the sunlight for the first time. Whilst painting the vision, the knowledge that the artwork is trying to communicate is integrating within myself and thereby also allowing myself to remember who I really am. Visionary art has for both the creator and viewer the same purpose, to let us remember and RE-unite.

- Is there an artwork that you are most proud of?

“Transcending Beyond Duality “

Misch Technic
Acrylics, Casein and Oil on canvas.
60 x 90 cm

This concept took 5 years to integrate; I became aware for the first time when I was 19 years old.

The reality we live in is of our own making; it is a reflection of our thoughts, vibration and intentions. What I experienced was: when I had fearful thoughts my reality was responding; the colours were less vivid and alive, my senses weren’t paying attention to the chirping birds etc. When I had positive thoughts, my reality shifted to brighter colours, synchronistic events were occurring. I became aware of the spiral of negative and positive, the spiral that moves in opposite directions, but create oneness together. The spiral of: day and night, dark and light, masculine and feminine. We live in a world of opposite powers, that is why the balance lies in the middle.This painting is a reflection from waking up and shaping life as my own work of creation. It is up to us to decide which road we choose.

This is the artwork I am most proud of because It is expressing our human experience and the inspiration has taken the longest to integrate. Cause I had to fully understand this certain insight about life first.

" Transcending Beyond Duality "

- How do you know when a work is finished?

This is difficult to explain but I will do my best. Finishing of a painting is the most difficult part. Mostly I work on every detail in a painting 3 times and after working on it 3 times in one specific artwork in is finished. Recently I finished an artwork with a portrait and many animals, I was noticing with each animal and the portrait after working on each detail 3 times it was finished. As well I have an certain amount of patience to work on a piece, after working on it for many hours my reserve of patience is empty. Than the energy towards that specific artwork doesn’t flow anymore. So the energy want be channeled into something else.

- What are your plans for the future?

To carry on making art. For the next years I would like to be focusing of painting soul portraits of the people that are close to me and that are an inspiration to me and the world. I feel that it is part of my mission to paint inspiring people. After a period of self-reflection and painting self-portraits, I am expanding my focus. ‘Muses of Life’ is a series portraits of people that are an inspiration to me and the world. Each person has their unique expression; with these paintings I want to capture their spirit. I intend to capture not only their physical appearance, but as well their values.

The world I live in inspires me. Besides nature, the people close to me are my inspiration. I intend to make about 50 paintings of ‘inspiring people’ the upcoming years. With these paintings I want to create a book as well as an oracle deck with people of the world.

I would like to focus on teaching to others how to connect to their own expression. To organize retreats that combine, dance, music, art and poetry.

I would like to keep growing in Music and start performing more.

Besides I would like to have family in and to learn how to live in harmony in Nature, most likely in a community or eco village.

" Infinity "

- Do you have any hobbies?

I don’t really believe in the word hobby, somehow the word hobby sounds strange to me cause I believe in passion, a way to express whats inside. An expression that makes us richer, that connects us to who we are. Besides practicing art, I practice music and dance. This is a part of me, a part of who I am, it is an extension of practicing the art. Besides I love to write, travel and cook vegetarian food.

For me, dance is a tool to integrate inspiration, to open up to the higher vibrations. I have experienced complete oneness in dance, something I’ve yet to experience in any other art form. To keep the dynamics of the dance between creation and integration going, movement is important. It is essential in order to allow the art to express freely through the body.

By becoming one with the natural forces that move trough the body, it becomes effortless to let the art flow naturally. With stagnated energy in the body it is difficult to enter the space where the art is being channelled. Being in harmony with body and mind will ensure that painting will happen faster, that there will be captured movement and flow, brushstrokes are guided and perfect.

Movement in general is giving me a lot of inspiration; it can be so relaxing to have a bike ride for 30 minutes trough Amsterdam. Often I receive a lot of ideas during these precious bike rides.

The Amsterdam dance community has so much to offer, it is bringing people together. Being an artist can, at times, be a lonely existence. That is why I love ecstatic dance, it connects me and integrates inspiration at the same time. (‘Ecstatic dance’ is an event where people regularly come together to experience a journey trough dance. In a space where we communicate without words, alcohol or even shoes. We talk with our eyes, our movements, our bodies and if one wants, our touch). I took the opportunity to develop my dance skills at ecstatic dance in the past years and there I learned how to dance with partners, which brought me personal growth and renewed inspiration.

The creative flow really increases in me while dancing to live music. To experience the talent and expression of other artists that are an inspiration to me opens a portal of inspiration and wisdom. It is in these moments where the forms of expression blend together, that a portal to the visionary realms opens. In these moments I fully experience the ecstasy of existence; as if the whole universe is revealing itself to and through me.

Music keeps our souls alive; connecting to sound is one of the most essential ingredients of life. It is a way to express our culture and who we are.

Since my childhood I have been influenced by music. Our house was always full of music, my father played the guitar & my mother the djembe, I grew up with world music from all nations. They stimulated me to make music, in my adolescent years I played cello in a local youth orchestra. Beginning twenties I longed for something more free and improvisational. I discovered the instrument N’goni (African harp with 12 strings from Mali). I immediately felt a connection with this instrument and found it was the perfect instrument to support my voice. The N’goni helped me explore my voice over the past years. Most of my music is improvised in the moment, connecting from heart to heart and from soul to soul. I sing with high and low tones, often without lyrics and with tribal influences.

I see music as the link between dance and vision, through movement I am able to connect and receive the vision. But it is only because of the music I can dance. Listening to music while I paint is of great importance. It helps me to be in the now, to connect to spirit and to let the inspiration flow freely.

" Eternal Sunset "

- Is there any advice that you would like to give to your fellow upcoming artists? 

I believe that trust is the most essential ingredient in life, so this counts for art to. It is so important to trust life and to trust yourself. To trust that the expression that moves trough you is beautiful. If you find this inner trust of self love only beauty can move trough you.

The second advice I would give: there is no mistake. I would say this counts for life to. Because there is no wrong way, even the wrong way will bring more opportunity.

So if you believe in divine guidance, even a bottle of paint falling on the canvas can be an opportunity to a greater and more beautiful outcome.

" Path to Enlightenment "

" Praying for Peace 3 "

" A Tantric self-portrait "

Helena's website: arturaleza.art