Artist's Statement
"I derive inspiration from nature, but above all, from my inner life. Art is a form of spiritual expression, and my paintings are symbolic. I believe that trees, animals, and people are manifestations of the invisible."
Remember those fairy tales that begin with “Once upon a time?” Well, once upon a time a baby girl was born in Slovenia – then part of Yugoslavia. In those fairy tales, whenever someone was sent on a journey, the fairy godmother would give a magic something to help them on that journey. In fact, everyone is given some magic somethings to help them on their way. My God Mother gave me some golden stones, and one of them was a desire to express myself and communicate with others visually.
I began drawing about two or three years of age. My Aunt Milka, my father’s sister, drew all the time, so I joined her.
Another golden stone that was given to me was a curiosity about everything, about this earth, this universe, about why I’m here and where I came from, and especially curiosity about God. My Grandmother must have mentioned God off and on, I believe. I loved to sit on this certain wooden bench on the backside of our house and bask in the golden warmth of the sun. The bright light felt so good I decided right then and there that it must be God. After that, I would search for the yellowest yellow to draw the sun.
When I was sixteen years old, this Sun God visited me and I fell in love. This Presence touched me and loved me, understood me and comforted me and filled me with such bliss that I could hardly stand it. This experience is more real to me than anything that I have ever experienced since then. I wanted to be close to this joyful Energy always. I even entered the convent for twelve years to be near this sweet Presence until I realized that one does not have to enter a monastery to be close to the Beloved.
The gifts of visual art and this Visitation have been my angels woven together so closely in my life that it’s difficult to separate the two.
When my family left Slovenia after the Second World War in 1945, I would find comfort in drawing on the wooden bed boards in the barracks of our Austrian camps. There were no books that I knew about, except for one wonderful book, an illustrated Bible that my confirmation godmother Danica brought from Slovenia. How I loved to look at those colorful pictures, which were fodder for more of my drawings. I’m so grateful that my mother never stopped me from engraving those old bed boards. She even said to me one day “I like your drawings.” I still remember that peaceful feeling that flowed over me when she said those words.
One day one of our teachers (yes, we had school even in the camp) gave us an art appreciation lesson by showing us a photograph of a landscape and then showing us a painting of that same landscape. I remember being so taken aback by the simplicity and beauty of the painting. The artist only painted what she chose to paint. I was about six years old then. The camp in Spittal, Austria had no grass, so at that moment I decided to draw grass everywhere, lots of grass and lots of sunshine. I realized that at least in my art world, I was in charge.
One day, at the dusk of the evening as I was settling on the top bunk of the bed, I looked out of our window and beheld such exquisite blues and violets that they took my breath away. And the colors kept changing from one velvet blue to another. I’ve tried to paint those luscious blues since then, but without much success.
When we arrived in America in 1950, not knowing a word of English, I would draw pictures to communicate with others. My self-esteem would be lifted when teachers would ask me to draw or paint this and that. I was grateful for this gift that kept on giving. I am also thankful that all the teachers I had were so patient and compassionate. Their example of loving kindness led me to become a teacher myself. And even though my masters degree was in general education, my students throughout those ten years loved every opportunity to express themselves visually in as many subjects as possible.
This gift of art also helped me to remember who I was among all those diapers and baby food and toys, etc. etc. etc. when raising three beautiful children, Amy, Laurie and Danny. Some of our kitchen cupboards were always filled with lots of crayons and paper, paints and brushes, clay and what not.
After the youngest left for pre-school, I grew wings and flew over to Montgomery College in Rockville where I met other artists and studied art history, painting and print making.
In the seventies I began to show my work and sell, enter juried shows and receive awards. I also began to have one-person shows, once or twice a year.
At present, watercolor is my medium of choice because it is so fresh and spontaneous. I’m very drawn to nature and am constantly searching for the is-ness and essence of things. I love shapes and of course, color.
There was a time though, during a difficult part of my life, that I stopped painting. It took all my strength just to get out of bed. But one day, I noticed my brushes and paints and again I began moving the colors around. I realized how much joy the doing of art gave me on that day when my sadness said good-bye and the sun entered my studio and soul once again.
Before I begin any paintings, whether it’s a simple flower or a more esoteric subject like an angel, I light a candle, play some music and ask for guidance to be a clear channel to paint a painting that will hold light energies of joy, love and peace.
Brenda Ueland asks, “Why should we all use our creative power? Because there is nothing that makes people so generous, joyful, lively, bold and compassionate, so indifferent to fighting and accumulation of things.”
I paint to raise my consciousness and I invite you also to be lifted up so that our journey here will be more and more filled with joy.
Estelle Dawn Zorman
Remember those fairy tales that begin with “Once upon a time?” Well, once upon a time a baby girl was born in Slovenia – then part of Yugoslavia. In those fairy tales, whenever someone was sent on a journey, the fairy godmother would give a magic something to help them on that journey. In fact, everyone is given some magic somethings to help them on their way. My God Mother gave me some golden stones, and one of them was a desire to express myself and communicate with others visually.
I began drawing about two or three years of age. My Aunt Milka, my father’s sister, drew all the time, so I joined her.
Another golden stone that was given to me was a curiosity about everything, about this earth, this universe, about why I’m here and where I came from, and especially curiosity about God. My Grandmother must have mentioned God off and on, I believe. I loved to sit on this certain wooden bench on the backside of our house and bask in the golden warmth of the sun. The bright light felt so good I decided right then and there that it must be God. After that, I would search for the yellowest yellow to draw the sun.
When I was sixteen years old, this Sun God visited me and I fell in love. This Presence touched me and loved me, understood me and comforted me and filled me with such bliss that I could hardly stand it. This experience is more real to me than anything that I have ever experienced since then. I wanted to be close to this joyful Energy always. I even entered the convent for twelve years to be near this sweet Presence until I realized that one does not have to enter a monastery to be close to the Beloved.
The gifts of visual art and this Visitation have been my angels woven together so closely in my life that it’s difficult to separate the two.
When my family left Slovenia after the Second World War in 1945, I would find comfort in drawing on the wooden bed boards in the barracks of our Austrian camps. There were no books that I knew about, except for one wonderful book, an illustrated Bible that my confirmation godmother Danica brought from Slovenia. How I loved to look at those colorful pictures, which were fodder for more of my drawings. I’m so grateful that my mother never stopped me from engraving those old bed boards. She even said to me one day “I like your drawings.” I still remember that peaceful feeling that flowed over me when she said those words.
One day one of our teachers (yes, we had school even in the camp) gave us an art appreciation lesson by showing us a photograph of a landscape and then showing us a painting of that same landscape. I remember being so taken aback by the simplicity and beauty of the painting. The artist only painted what she chose to paint. I was about six years old then. The camp in Spittal, Austria had no grass, so at that moment I decided to draw grass everywhere, lots of grass and lots of sunshine. I realized that at least in my art world, I was in charge.
One day, at the dusk of the evening as I was settling on the top bunk of the bed, I looked out of our window and beheld such exquisite blues and violets that they took my breath away. And the colors kept changing from one velvet blue to another. I’ve tried to paint those luscious blues since then, but without much success.
When we arrived in America in 1950, not knowing a word of English, I would draw pictures to communicate with others. My self-esteem would be lifted when teachers would ask me to draw or paint this and that. I was grateful for this gift that kept on giving. I am also thankful that all the teachers I had were so patient and compassionate. Their example of loving kindness led me to become a teacher myself. And even though my masters degree was in general education, my students throughout those ten years loved every opportunity to express themselves visually in as many subjects as possible.
This gift of art also helped me to remember who I was among all those diapers and baby food and toys, etc. etc. etc. when raising three beautiful children, Amy, Laurie and Danny. Some of our kitchen cupboards were always filled with lots of crayons and paper, paints and brushes, clay and what not.
After the youngest left for pre-school, I grew wings and flew over to Montgomery College in Rockville where I met other artists and studied art history, painting and print making.
In the seventies I began to show my work and sell, enter juried shows and receive awards. I also began to have one-person shows, once or twice a year.
At present, watercolor is my medium of choice because it is so fresh and spontaneous. I’m very drawn to nature and am constantly searching for the is-ness and essence of things. I love shapes and of course, color.
There was a time though, during a difficult part of my life, that I stopped painting. It took all my strength just to get out of bed. But one day, I noticed my brushes and paints and again I began moving the colors around. I realized how much joy the doing of art gave me on that day when my sadness said good-bye and the sun entered my studio and soul once again.
Before I begin any paintings, whether it’s a simple flower or a more esoteric subject like an angel, I light a candle, play some music and ask for guidance to be a clear channel to paint a painting that will hold light energies of joy, love and peace.
Brenda Ueland asks, “Why should we all use our creative power? Because there is nothing that makes people so generous, joyful, lively, bold and compassionate, so indifferent to fighting and accumulation of things.”
I paint to raise my consciousness and I invite you also to be lifted up so that our journey here will be more and more filled with joy.
Estelle Dawn Zorman