An Interview with the Brave Artist
Lucy Egan sits down with Tania Chilby (a.k.a The Brave Artist) to about talk creativity in the pandemic and her new book.
Tania is a local multi-disciplinary artist whose work incorporates colour, texture and passion to explore the human psyche and express the creativity in the human consciousness. She experiments with form and medium; her most recent project is called, Creativity is Alive, an e-Book designed to help one beat the creative blues, which is on track to be released in the new year.
LE: What do you consider as part of your brand as the Brave Artist?
TC: Brave Artist is the name behind all of my projects. It came about from my sister, she suggested that all of my projects (art and writing) come under the umbrella of the Brave Artist. It’s about accessing the subconscious and working through stuff- if you can’t talk, but you can write or paint it, it still gets it out.
LE: What does creativity mean to you?
TC: We are all born creative and we encourage that from an early age in children whether that is music, painting or playing around. It’s about being able to tap into the creative. Inspiration is everywhere, it is within us and around us. Personally, I have always been creative…my creative expression came about as a way to heal and transform my life.
LE: What does your creative process involve?
TC: When in my creative process I would describe it as, “ Nothing withheld”; a place of release where I dwell in a state of collective consciousness and connection to everything around around me. If I’m writing, I’ve usually taken notes in the car or in bed, or after meditation, most of my ideas are flashes of inspiration from my higher self, I believe they are already in the soul of the world and we can access them at any time.
LE: What have been some of you previous projects you’ve worked on?
TC: Some of the things I’ve created have been: The Crystalight cards, Words Worth Loving, The Fire that Burns with in, Her letters, Her poems, The Eternal Call, Brave Love... And now Creativity is Alive, The Creative Freedom Journal and The Creative Cure.
LE: So what is your most recent project called and what is the concept behind it?
TC: It’s called Creativity is Alive and it is aimed at creativity; to get people to realise the joy of making something yourself. And it doesn’t matter if it isn’t to sell, it is for yourself first. The joy of making it. The concept behind it is about how we can access creative energy and passion using our imagination, dreaming, meditation, poetry, the changing seasons and tapping into a well of inspiration that is already in our inner world and outer world.
LE: What is your advice for fellow aspiring artists and students?
TC: We are creative beings and particularly, as women, we are creative. We literally create life. A lot of women shut down their creativity once they give birth but I want them to realise they can continue to create, in the form of art and writing.
LE: Where can we view your work?
TC: Creativity is Alive is due to be released digitally next year, so watch my social media for updates. These latest works done this year during lockdown came about from a desire to turn all my work into a variety of digital products to sell online, as I’ve produced written works over the years.
To follow Tania, keep an eye on her social media channels: Instagram | Facebook | Youtube | Linktree
Email: tania@braveartist.com
Feature Image by Tania Chilby; edited by Leanne Elliott, Staff Writer.
