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Inspiration Interview with Lindsay Bess, visual artist, teacher



Lindsay Bess is a visual artist from Scarborough, ON.  She is also an Art Teacher who has worked with local community initiatives (Elevated Grounds, Por Amor, CKLN 88.1FM) for over a decade, and is fully vested in the uplifting of her audience and her students. The work she does is never very far removed from the issues going on locally and internationally, and shes consider her work to be functional, artistic social commentary. She has done work all over the world, mostly murals – and shes believes mural-making to be one of the best ways to engage the public in art making and appreciation.

Lindsay Bess lives by an aphorism, “The artistic education of those unfamiliar with art relies on its practitioners and how well they convey their ideas – and that is a reflection on how well the practitioners understand themselves and their roles as artists.”


What/who inspires you?
Many things inspire me, but right now it's my late mother. All of her struggles with life, her work ethic, her ability to make something huge out of nothing, her desire to be better and to have better for her children is totally incomprehensible to people who never knew her. She was amazing.

When have you had you greatest "A-ha" moments?
My greatest aha moments are when I least expect them, but always when I allow them to come in...meaning, when I stop being my own idea-blocker and creative control freak and start letting the thoughts just flow...and that's for everything actually. I had one of those moments today after a near-death experience (sorry if I sound super-dramatic - I lived, obviously). I had to stop and think about what had happened, be honest with myself about prevention and then I remembered a dream I had last night about my mother and grandmother. I miss them both so much and usually think about them as gone, not with me and very distant, but it was clear to me that they were and are with me every second of the day, still nurturing me and keeping me safe like I remember them.
 
What do you do when you feel you are in need of inspiration?
When I'm in need of inspiration, I listen to Stevie Wonder...or Jean Grae.

What do you feel you do to inspire others?
I think my cheerfulness is one thing, same with my giggling at even the worst jokes (you'll feel like a comedian around me, and yes I really think you're funny)...Actually it's me being a vegetarian. I know some pretty hardcore meat-eaters, and they always seem amazed that I can do it - and if I can, anyone can, seriously. And I think I've inspired a couple ppl to jump ship and travel, and go back to school...wait, that's a lot of things! But only because people have inspired me in the same way, so I recognize it in others.


Anything else you'd like to add...
Thanks for askin! This was fun! Hip hop ya don't stop...

Be sure to check out Lindsay Bess:
myspace.com/lindsaybess
For inquiries email: visual.funk@yahoo.com

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