A group post of creative responses to the Carrie Fisher quote (made famous by Meryl Streep) ‘Take your broken heart, turn it into art.”
Sign by Chris Rouleau, image courtesy of Aislinn Rose.
Avid Empress Tea connoisseurs may recall a few months ago when I said it’s time to go to work. To make art that touches people, expanding and changing minds. It’s no longer okay to be complacent. This is only the beginning of our response to that.
Many of us were delighted and inspired by Meryl Streep’s Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech at the 2017 Golden Globes. Art & politics have always gone hand in hand. Leave it to Meryl to eloquently lift us up, to remind us art, journalism, & integrity are important, and then fan the flame of our desire to make the world a better place. The quote she she shared with us from Carrie Fisher, will go down in creative industry history. What a beautiful tribute to yet another amazing woman.
“As my friend, the dear departed Princess Leia said to me,
‘Take your broken heart, turn it into art.”
The broken heart quote has inspired us to share another creative group post with you. Enjoy our creative musings, and support us by leaving comments below and sharing us with your friends.
I hope you had a good International Women’s Day! In the words of a friend: perhaps a Women’s Decade might yield greater results?
All the best,
The Head Empress
Christina Paul – KAILUA, United States
Kintsugi:
The Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold.
It is believed to be stronger and more beautiful because it is broken.
Artwork by TJ Volonis (Credit: vanderbiltrepublic.com)
“Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.” – Pablo Picasso
When I look back on my most painful breakups, there’s typically been this scrambling in the aftermath – me on hands and knees, frantically, defiantly, recovering the little broken pieces of me, as if my life depended on it. It’s like a survival instinct, a rallying of the troops, the soul’s inflammatory response to emotional injury.
I’d typically have to dig really deep in order to muster up enough of myself to move forwards. Which means I’d often end up finding pieces of me that I had lost, or forgotten about, or abandoned, or didn’t even know existed. And that process of deep self-excavation would inevitably bring some lava to the surface, that hot, molten essence that lies at each of our cores, and it would seep into the cracks, and fill the holes, and fortify my being as it cooled and turned to rock.
It often takes a destructive force, a seismic shift of sorts to unleash that latent energy; a fight-or-flight jolt of adrenalin that wakes up the most essential, most creative, most powerful parts of ourselves.
It’s what moves broken-hearted people to do courageous things. Like go to dance school. Or start a charity. Or take to the streets with pink pussy-hats.
Sometimes it takes losing a whole lot to finally feel like you have nothing to lose.
Joanna Mason (Jam)- LONDON, England
Title: Art Heart
Original Work: Joanna Mason
Media: hand embroidered jean jacket
Inspired by the statement “Take your broken heart, make it into art” I made a custom, hand embroidered jacket. I’ll be selling it off and 50% of the proceeds will go to the Fawcett Society, an amazing UK based charity dedicated to gender equality and equal rights for all. To see more from me and the charity I’ve chosen to support search for us on Instagram @getlostclothing @fawcettsociety
This one is for all my beloved (per)sisters out there! 💪
Amber Henry – YELLOWKNIFE, Canada
Title: She Needed a Hero So She Became One
Original Work: Amber Henry
Media: mixed media collage
Amber was inspired by local Yellowknife artist, Amelie Duval’s work.
This piece was created with pieces of magazines and catalogues with the exception of the glitter, of course. Amber also used the internet as her muse and spent the early stages of this project searching for quotes and images that summed up a theme of breaking and healing, of ends and new beginnings and ultimately of strength.
To see more of Amelie’s work please take a look here: www.facebook.com/AmyliesStudio
Bridget Steis – Hong Kong SAR, China
Title: Not Just for Kissing
Original Work: Bridget Steis
Media: mixed digital
Similar to Jam’s embroidered jacket, I was inspired to make something wearable with meaning. Unfortunately, once I had this great idea, I realised there wasn’t enough time to fully implement it. So instead, I’m starting with renderings that I will eventually turn into wearable pins. That’s the idea anyway. Now I just need to put my passion planner to work and get myself from idea to fully-realised awesomeness. Feel free to help nag me to reach my goal for this project!
A woman’s lips are not just for kissing (although I’m definitely 100% behind the kissing usage!). Firstly, her lips are useful for word battles, which I think we’re often going to need them for in the coming years. They’re for smiling, frowning, and displaying a wide range of her feelings and emotions. Granted, while they have the ability to look beautiful, they are so much more. Just like the entire women where they reside.
Let’s do more, and be more.
