Hello artful desperados.
The weekend is upon us, and so is Halloween! Are you dressing up? If you are, what are you wearing? Do you need some inspiration? Yeah? My friend you are in luck today. This post serves as visual inspiration – not for Halloween – but rather for a fantastic photographic evening with friends over the weekend, capturing the romance of Fall. Why don’t you take your camera, sit back and enjoy the following “picterview” (pictures and interview, clever huh?) with Indea Vanmerlin – a self-taught film photographer.
- Photo edited by Joseph Floridia
Hello Indea! Welcome to the blog, get comfy and let’s get into creative business, shall we?
Who is Indea?
I think the only thing to say is that I’m changeable and all too aware that life is transient. I think that’s why I like photography so much. Because you can capture a moment so perfectly and clearly and somehow revisit yourself. It’s mysterious the power the past has over us and how much it can push us forwards or hold us back. Like a lot of the most significant things in life, photography happened so suddenly to me and without any reason. I didn’t consciously decide to express myself this way – it just appeared in my life and it feels like it’s always been here.
What do you do to battle your creative blocks?
I don’t battle with creative blocks. I’ve learnt that trying to fight myself just doesn’t work! When I’m in a slump I just try to ride with it. My creativity reflects my emotional state. If I have to wait a few days before I’m ready to pick up my camera again, then so be it. I know that my creativity isn’t going anywhere. If anything, these ‘resting’ periods help me to redefine myself over and over again.
What do you do to nourish your creativity?
I love walking through forests and visiting gardens. Just being surrounded by nature replenishes my soul and makes me feel alive. If I’m feeling fragile I watch Studio Ghibli movies – the stories always make me smile.
Name one rule you have for yourself that you’d like to break.
Taking life too seriously. Sometimes I have to remind myself to just try and enjoy the moment.
What advice could you give to young artists in search of their own creative identity?
Be patient with yourself – it’s easy to look at your work and think you’re not good enough, but learning to let yourself grow without criticism takes courage.
Indea “chooses to focus her camera on moments of natural beauty and the simple pleasures in life” – incredible. If you think about it, it is harder to create simple wholesome pieces than it is to create complicated ones. Complicated can be embellished with lots of details and illusions, simplicity cannot. At least that’s what I think.
Indea thank you again for taking the time to share a little bit of your creative world with us. Peeps, give her some love and spread the word.
Have a great weekend everyone. Stay safe and let me know what kind of eery, artsy Halloween costumes you created.
Indea – website