Nothing is more beautiful than someone completely unapologetic about who they are. Self-love is a mark of strength, and owning your uniqueness as a human being, and as a creative professional is an unparalleled superpower that cannot be threatened or comparable.
When I experience heavy lows in my life, it tends to dampen and dull my creative spark. I often lose the will to do anything when I'm going through a difficult time. As this month draws to a close, I am reflecting on the things that helped ignite my creative light again. I officially relaunched my blog at the start of this month. Since then, it's been an interesting ride watching myself consistently create content for posts. It hasn't been easy, and I recently just came out of a depressive phase. But I'm grateful that I was able to pick myself back up thanks to the support of good people around me.
I've always been a creative and innovative individual. There are so many ideas that dance around in my mind daily. I find it hard to focus on many things at the same time. It doesn't make it easier when you're a creative person who has a variety of interests. I greatly love cinema, music, art, fashion, poetry, and food. I see all of these mediums as a way of communicating with others. Humans, for the most part, despite language or geographical barriers can appreciate these various aspects of life which help build close relations amongst ourselves.
This month, I found myself in a place of desperation, eager to create anything. I just wanted to rediscover who I am again by doing anything that made me feel like my most authentic self. I simply wanted to experience loving myself and be present in the awareness of seeing myself cherished and adored by me. Does that make any sense? I hope it does. In a world of massive consumption and conformity, where everyone seems to be doing the same thing, I believe it's important we take time to remind ourselves of who we are. We were all created differently for a reason, and it would be boring if we were all made the same.
To get back into a creative flow, I came up with an idea to plan a photoshoot by myself. The theme for my creative direction was "Complex Simplicity". My goal was to capture the most authentic version of me, only thinking of what my mind and heart longed to say. Pictures tell stories of their own. It should never be about what you're wearing or the location where the picture was taken. Speaking as a creative, anything that is to be considered as 'art' leaves room for interpretation. I don't necessarily believe that our main purpose as humans or artists is to produce in excessive amounts. The mission is to share what we believe with others, and hope that like-minded fellows will support us with acceptance and understanding. I define this as the Generosity of Art -- the giving and revealing of the most difficult, the most honest, and the most genuine part of ourselves, stripped to imperfection and wilfully exposed.
I used the Tezza app to edit my photos and was able to achieve the aesthetic I envisioned for this photoshoot. With that said, I generously present to you, my beloved self-portraits in a photo series titled:
"UNVEILING HER" BY GRACE ELLICE MAY
The camera hides nothing. The camera sees everything.
Discover what is truly yours in this world. Asking, "What is mine?" is the first step to self-discovery as a creative. In doing so, you will realize very quickly that what is yours already belongs to you. Because life isn't about how much you can attain. It's about how you can make the most of what you already have. Even if all you have is yourself, that is enough. The human body is the most outstanding creative instrument. We always like to think we need more things to produce or create. How about learning what you can do with your hands first? How do you listen to the world with your ears? How do your eyes perceive what's around you? How far can your feet take you? What do you have to say with your voice? There is no possibility in a mind that lacks imagination. Creation is born from insight. Your vision is only as clear as what you choose to see. How do you see yourself? Are you enough? Why do you believe you need to be more? What will you do with more? Will more finally be enough? What we often fail to realize sooner is that we only ever needed to simply be ourselves. No one is seeking more from you, especially when you're already doing your best. Your best will always be enough. Keep going.
Thank you for making it this far. Thank you for being here. I'll see you in the next story, friend.
Happy Good Friday. Have a lovely weekend, and a blessed new month ahead.
Warmly, Grace.
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