Chelsey Miller Art Review

When I first saw Chelsey Miller's art show at the International Pony Play Championships in Minnesota, USA, it drew me in at a heart level. The image gallery here on Equus Eroticus barely captures the passion and energy of her art work. If one doesn't take the time to take it in, only a scattered set of images may register. However, when viewing the art with time and a listening heart, her dream world starts to take life. When I take the time to listen to and feel one of her paintings it inspires thought and internal processing in a way that makes me consider what it means to be human. Fans of Salvador Dali will instantly see his influence on Chelsey's art.

Salvado Dali is one of the most prominent of Surrealist artists who is most well known for his work "The Persistance of Memory." His work, as does Chelsey's work, goads the viewer into thinking. Surrealist art evolved out of Surrealist philosophy. André Breton took it upon himself to define Surrealism in his Le Manifeste du Surréalisme: "Surrealism is based on the belief in the superior reality of certain forms of previously neglected associations, in the omnipotence of dream, in the disinterested play of thought. It tends to ruin once and for all other psychic mechanisms and to substitute itself for them in solving all the principal problems of life." In short, Surrealism addresses the problems of life through abstract dream images. Take "Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man" as a clear example of depicting how the eyes of the world turned to watch the United States emerge as a world power during the first two World Wars. The images are not meant to be taken literally, but to evoke a deeper, truer response that pertains to each individual view, yet leaving room for commentary by the artist.

Chelsey Miller follows this same artistic drive to create what must be made. The themes may not be directly pony play, yet her images and interplay with equines evoke respect of the horse. Chelsey captures the power of the horse in a fierce, determined, emotionally connected, and primal way. She obviously loves the horse and feels a deep connection to the archetypal power of Equus. Not only can a new level of understanding of horses be reached through the viewing of her paintings, but also of ourselves and our relationship to the horse. In a Freudian sense, all images of the dream are another aspect of Self; what do the images say of ourselves and our relationship to the equine as we view the interplay of images upon our minds and hearts? Compare Dali's "The Temptation of St. Anthony" and Chelsey's "Lady White Horse". Both address the deep alliance between humans and equines that juxtaposes life and death. The specific meaning evolves for the viewer individually. I see a war within me that feels the equine as an intrinsic part of self-giving strength both to the individual and society while also offering a tool to be used for whatever action the spirit calls for. The deep connection to spirit and life process unfolds dramatically through my psyche.

Pony players may find inspiration in her work. Perhaps a different perspective of what it means to be connected to the archetypal Equus may evolve. Perhaps a a new mode of expression may come to fruition. Dead Pony of the Camp Crucible has a similar flavor which finds the humor in darker themes. Rusty pony (http://ponyboyrusty.blogspot.com/2008/06/camp-crucible-part-2-pony-show....) tells of her performance in his blog:

One act that I found especially funny and fun to watch was Dead Pony. She was all Goth [sic] and was carried out onto the floor by two men in black trench coats who then brought her to life. She did a rather zombie-like rendition of a pony gait and then broke into a soft shoe dance. Her fun was brought to an end when her handlers sent her back to the beyond until the next time. Altogether a riot to watch.

The love for all things pony continually finds new expression, meaning, and fun.

The combination of my love of pony play, horses and art inspired me to include Chelsey's work in Equus Eroticus. My Bachelor of Arts in Art Administration training and subsequent museum work and patronage may have added to my appreciation of Chelsey's work, perhaps seeing more than the layman's eye at first. Still her work speaks to anyone who will listen. Chelsey Miller speaks to us directly in her interview with Equus Eroticus.

When did your interest in art develop?
Hmm... Well, I guess I'll just say that I was born with it. Art and I have always been one entity. I am certainly thankful, and know I am fortunate to have been given such a gift. It's one of those things that is in the family genes. However, I can say that in my later years of high school I became very fascinated with art history and the passion sort of grew from there. Perhaps this is about a quest to understand myself.

Please share a brief version of your evolution as an artist.
Here's another one of those difficult questions. I've been working at my art my entire life. When I was a little girl the first thing my mother taught me to draw were horses, by using circles, and I worked very hard to perfect those horses. From there I just simply taught myself how to draw things by looking at books and the world around me. I have never had formal training. The wonderful thing is and was that, all my years of elementary and high school, my art teachers saw something in my art. They told me that I should never let go of the gift I have. I am very grateful for that.

In terms of my subject matter's evolution, I can only say that it has become more strange and unusual, and on a personal level more spiritual. One of the things I struggled with is that there is this belief out there in the world of art that the artist has to have a style. And I know, for me, this has actually hindered my creative processes, because I was striving so hard for that style I quit focusing on what is actually important. It took me a while to realize that style isn't or shouldn't be the focus of my work, and that is why my artworks differ from one another stylistically.

Some people may find the content of your art disturbing. What do you think of that?
My art has always been dark. Granted I've done my fair share of wildlife art. I was always intrigued by those things that people are afraid of and the things that make us turn our heads the other way, even my own fears. However, I am surprised that in all my experiences making art I have had little negative feedback, but that doesn't mean people don't walk away and wonder if there is something wrong with me! I am okay if my art makes them uneasy, and I am thrilled if it makes them think. One of the things I have always put in my artist's statement is that "...the only thing I ever aim to accomplish in showing my work is that I want the viewers to consider it." I like the idea that it invokes thought. I have never made my art for anyone else but myself.

Who have been the most influential persons on your art and why?
I remember sitting at the kitchen table when I was a kid with my mom, as that is where she'd sit to paint. So I'd bring my stuff to the table to make art as well, and I remember watching her and wishing I was as good as she was.

However, in terms of famous people, well, my first influential person would be Salvador Dali. When I was a kid [and] teenager, I was always in awe when I saw his work in books. I am also heavily influenced and inspired by the work of Frida Kahlo, Tim Burton, and Guillermo Del Toro. All of them make art that just seems to strike a chord with me. I also look up to them, and they reassure me that even if you are a little crazy you can still get somewhere in life. They remind me, in a way, that honestly it doesn't matter what people think of your art because it is personal, and no one can judge that.

Most of all it is just nature that inspires me. I have a hard time explaining to people how my art "happens." I tell them that the images are all there in my head floating around and sometimes they all come together on paper.

What is your favorite artwork, or type of art to view?
I love the art of the Old Masters. I could look at it repeatedly and not get tired of it. I also love looking at the world of Surreal artists today; there are so many phenomenal minds out there at work creating some mind blowing art. I am an art junkie. I think I am addicted.

What do you think makes good art?
Hmmm... "Good art?" Honestly, who am I to say what makes it good or bad? What is considered great or good art to an art dealer or critic might be art that just does not move me, but that doesn't mean it is bad art. I think it is a personal relationship, really. It is between the artist and the viewer. Granted we could look at all art from the point of whether or not it is successfully accomplishing the use of traditional canons, but I don't think that always applies.

What do horses symbolize for you?
Since I was a child I have loved horses. I have always wanted one of my own and was always jealous that my mom had them when she was a kid. I really believe there is a special connection between horses and humans, and I have yet to figure out what that is. I love them and that's all I can really say about it. I am not sure why they end up in my work, but they do, so there must be a reason for it.

What do you think about the Leather community that has embraced an interest in your art?
I think it is fantastic, and I am honored that there is such an interest in what I make. For me, as an artist, it is nice to have that reassurance that what I am doing is reaching someone, and that there are people out there who are on the same wave-length as I am.

Do you think pony players will find an interest in your artwork?
I certainly hope so! My hope is that my art can appeal to anyone, no matter what. I think alternative communities like this one can offer more interesting feedback than what the mainstream can offer on art.

Choose one of the paintings from the art gallery and tell us a story.
This is one of the most difficult things people ask me to do, haha! I never know how to explain what is going on in my head.

One of the things I try to refrain from doing is titling my art, as sometimes titling a piece doesn't leave enough open doors for the viewer. When it is untitled the viewer can go wherever they want without any boundaries.

So, I guess I'll just say out of the ones I am sharing, I'd like to talk about the "big one." It is the painting of a white horse and a female figure, it is one of the largest pieces I have ever done. Most of my work is small. Maybe it is because I have ADHD, who knows!

Anway, I started the piece with a much, much smaller version, about a six inch by six inch diptych, and it turned into this larger two foot by three foot piece. I am not certain how the image came to be, but I believe it was a period when I became obsessive over white horses, something that could have sparked from a dream I had at one point. I wanted to visually discuss life and death. Somehow, that turned into a female figure and a white horse.

When I worked on this piece I could not only see what was going on in the painting, but I could hear what was going on as well; I could hear the horse, the wind, and feel the barren landscape. Everything else is silent in that place. I think I sat down one afternoon and said to myself, "I am going to do this today." I finished it in a couple of hours. Again, I am not really sure how the piece came to have a woman and a white horse. Perhaps the woman represents the primal mother, the life force and the earth. Perhaps it illustrates how she is neither good nor bad, and that death is just as important as life. Maybe it is that the green leaves symbolize that in death there is always life. This is just an interpretation. I hardly know why I do the things I do. Sometimes because I get a really fabulous idea and sometimes they just happen.

For more information on Chelsey Miller visit her website at http://www.thoughtbentart.com.

Artist Statement

Kandinksy once stated, "The duty of the Artist is to bring light into the darkness of men's hearts." My everything is put into every piece I give birth to. I create my pieces with a very small purpose, and that is that each piece will speak for itself. I want my works to tell a story; a story the viewer can relate to, or something they conjure in the deepest most secret places of their mind. I want my work to pull the viewer into a place they long to go. 
Many of my works are inspired by nature, the ever changing force that surrounds and sustains us all. Like nature my work can be honest, grotesque, humorous, and even beautiful - all of which can been executed in a single breath. 
I believe that what I have is a gift, and the things I create are for a reason. From the depths of my existence I am inspired to create, and at times I have no explanation for the 'why' of my subject-matter. Sometimes things are, simply because they were meant to be.

"The only thing I know is that I paint because I need to, and I paint whatever passes through my head without any other consideration."
-Frida Kahlo

"EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE IS REAL." - Pablo Picasso

"Art is made to disturb, science reassures." - Georges Braque