Jocelyn Bates

Jocelyn’s Soul Art Day Interview

What challenges have you overcome to claim your life as an artist?

I have always been an artist. In the last few years, I’ve realized how many stories I have been carrying around with me about what it means to be an artist. My challenge has been to recognize and become aware of those stories and begin to rewrite them in authenticity. Some of those rewritten stories have become: I see my own art without comparison, I gently let go of my conditioned mind when I create, I follow my flow of creation even if it isn’t going to be beautiful or pretty on the outside, I untether from the starving artist mind and I speak about my creative process in a way others can relate to, even if they aren’t in the process of unpacking their creative self.

What inspires you?

The body and its capacity for experience, exploration, creativity and curiosity. I am so very inspired by the brilliance of our bodies and how the body is a conduit for all that we move through in this life. When I begin to move inward in my body and unravel the possibilities I see lineage, memories, limitless imagination and the frequencies which hold it all together. It amazes me every time I move into that space.

What kind of conversations do you have with your art?

I find that conversations with my art start in my body with sensation, memory and frequency and from there I allow it to move into more tangible expressions in their many forms including movement, words & dialogue, sounds & music, words exchanged between friends, meditation and even my dream life. I speak to the pieces of my art, allow them the room to breathe with me and travel through me. Often my art brings me on journeys that are unexpected and rich with wisdom and other times my art is like graffiti that takes down the projections of ego.