Fay Guilian -AKA GypsyFay
My life, like all lives, has been a series of journeys.
I have traveled for over 20 years, lived in several different countries and continents, and rightfully earned my AKA: GypsyFay.
With the influences of daily life in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe contributing to my perspective, my art and writing has become a reflection of those times and places and faces. I have found my home painting images of women and writing their stories, because that is my connection to the divine in this incarnation.
It is through the face of the mother, daughter, sister, crone; I feel I can best express the closeness I have to the infinite.
Years ago, while on one of my travels, I had a tattoo done on each of my wrists. Small, written in white ink so no one but I can see them, PERSEVERE is needled on my left, and FORGIVE placed on the right. They are supposed to be daily reminders of the two things I need to do most in this world, and the two things I find hardest to achieve.
photography by Judy Reesha
In the beginning I thought about those tattoos daily, especially during the itchy, healing period! Then like all new fascinations, they became old and ordinary after a few months, and I simply stopped noticing them. But through creativity I slowly began to see them again with new meaning. Because in art there is a tendency towards wanting to be perfect, and in order to be free enough to let the creative spirit inside you live, you must forgive yourself for your lack of perfection and persevere even when the desire to throw away the canvas takes over. It is in those moments, just after you have moved forward, when you wanted to stop, that the real genius and beauty of creation is understood.
I practice my craft with the belief that everyone is an artist. So when working with those who are new to art, I feel it is my job to help them allow their inner artists to evolve and emerge. Not to critique and criticize for lack of technical competence. I desire to create a safe space where anyone can enjoy the process of painting, and knowing the sense of peace that art brings to the soul and the psyche.
I am especially dedicated to creating workshops for women with chronic illness, women living in mental and social repression and those who struggle to have a voice. As someone who has lived through a couple of these challenges, I realize we may not be able to change certain things about our fate or destiny, but we certainly can work with what we are given.
For more about my journey visit: http://www.gypsyfay.com
Travels with Fay
Intentional Creativity
