Marijanel (00:00):
Welcome to the Bold Artist Podcast. Today, we have an exciting and unusual show for you. You're gonna notice that we have multiple guests on today's interview. It's a lot of fun, a bit of a crazy ride as far as the internet is concerned. We lost a few guests along the way and picked them up later in the show. And so you'll see the video shuffle around and a few crazy video transition. For those of you listening on audio, just tune in close, and you'll hear all the voices of today's wonderful guests sharing about big dreams and the power of art. Stay tuned till the end for a few funny bloopers. Let's get on with the show. This is the Bold Artist podcast.
Charla (00:44):
You have answers, and you're expressing them in your art. Your art is important, and it needs to be seen
Marijanel (00:52):
Welcome, and let's get started with today's episode.
Marijanel (01:01):
Welcome to the Bold Artist podcast. Today. I have something very special for you. Joining me is not one, not two, not three, but four guests who are the bold color artists behind some of the classes in Bold School. Not only do I have with me the instructors of Bold School, but they are also mentors who work with students on the inside of our community platform, growing artists, helping artists to find themselves and their bold color style. And we thought it would be really fun -- let's see the smiles, everybody -- we thought it would be really fun to pull back the curtain today on a little behind the scenes of Bold School and talk to our instructors and mentors about what is life like being an artist, being an instructor with Bold School and having a passion to see artists become wholehearted in their practice. So, I just wanna take a minute and introduce you to our crew.
Marijanel (02:07):
I've got Charla Maarschalk who is founder of Bold School, and you may also know her as my co-host because we appear regularly together here on the bold artist podcast. I have Corey Moortgat, instructor and mentor with Bold School, and Axel Martinez, beloved instructor that everyone knows and loves as the man who said, "Lose the fear." And so lose the fear has gone down in Bold School because Axel told us to lose the fear. And, and we have Luzdy Rivera. Luzdy, you are launching your very first class very soon here with Bold School. And so we wanna welcome you to the crew of instructors, as well. So, thank you all for being here today, and Charla and I open the intro of this podcast with some words that say, your art is important, your art needs to be seen, and we have the heart to give artists voices. And so today we wanted to talk about just that -- the power of art. And I wanted to, by asking each one of you a question and hearing what you have to say about the power of art and how it's changed your life. And so, let's start with none other than Charla.
Charla (03:31):
I knew you were gonna say that.
Marijanel (03:33):
I know. Just tell me in your words, what is the power of art?
Charla (03:38):
The a power of art. I feel like I'm the one that said this, like a million times over, I'm always preaching the power of art. People in the world think that art is just a decorative item. Buy a yellow painting because you have yellow pillows on your couch and I couldn't ever buy a painting I liked if it wasn't yellow. So, um, people look at it as decor. We go to Home Sense, and we see lines of decorative paintings at Home Sense, and you just buy whatever one matches your pillows. I really wanted to change that. I feel like art has so much more to offer in our lives, um, and in the world than just a decorative item. And I don't think that we look at music that way. I don't think we look at movies that way. We see them as more than entertainment. You know, music can, it has a power to transport us through time. You hear a song from your childhood or a Christmas song. You instantly get nostalgic over what that reminds you of. And I believe that visual arts have that same power. Artists don't even realize that that power is there. I think we have it in our soul because we love it, and we create it. Um, but we don't believe in it because we haven't heard that message enough. So, um, does that answer your question?
Marijanel (04:51):
Absolutely. Yes. A good place to start the power of art. And so, uh, Axel, as you're hearing that, um, you're hearing Charla's response to the power of art, I wanna ask you why... So we know about the power it can have, but why is making art so important?
Axel (05:13):
Being an artist and not actually creating art, it's like being muzzled. It's like, you can't bring out what you, you feel, what you wanna say. And it is extremely important, uh, that we all allow our voices to be heard. Um, every single one of us has a message. Um, I remember early on talking to, uh, my great mentor, uh, back in the days, Corey, about art be in a language and color, uh, being part of that language. So it's, it's very important.
Marijanel (05:51):
Yes, I agree. And the act of making it and, and physically putting ourselves into the act of making it is just to me, just as powerful as the power of it afterwards, you know, the process is just as powerful. And so, Luzdy, I would like to ask you how you have seen art change your life?
Luzdy (06:16):
It's, it's that amazing how powerful art can be. And it has changed my life because it's the way that I alleviate my stress. It's the way that I feel joy. It's the way that I speak to others about what's on my mind, about who I am. So, yeah, a big, big part of my life.
Marijanel (06:35):
Yes. And Corey, I, and thank you, Luzdy, for that answer. I, I actually think that we all can feel that, as well. Like, just how life changing it is. And when you said how stress relieving it is, I am so thankful for art in my life because it's definitely a huge relief of stress and, and we can really just put our feelings out there. So Corey, I wanted to specifically ask you the question of how you have seen other people's lives change through art. We've heard from Charla about the power of art, and Axel shared about the power of art and then Luzdy, her own like life changing experiences through it. But for you, how have you seen other people's lives being changed, particularly those that you instruct and mentor within Bold School?
Corey (07:34):
You know, uh, in some ways the answer to this has to do with how it's affected my life. Um, one thing that I think I've been able to do since joining Bold School and since really finding my voice as an artist, um, as an, a more expressive painter, is I've been pushing myself to get much more expressive and to allow my emotions out in my artwork to really reach down deep inside myself, to, you know, find those emotions, find those marks and those colors that work for me. And so, as a result, I am seeing a lot of students at Bold School who really respond to that and who want to do the same thing. Um, and so it's something I always have in my mind as I'm teaching, as I'm coming up with ideas for classes is how I can enable that for other students that maybe haven't done it in the past. Um, I have a background in art therapy, so it kind of becomes naturally to me, but I know it, everyone doesn't have that. So, I think being able to help students find those same tools within themselves, um, is something that's a big goal of mine here at Bold School and something that I'm hoping will really influence people.
Marijanel (08:56):
Thank you so much for sharing that with us. I know that in my time here with all of you at Bold School, I have so much respect and appreciation for this team. Those of you who are watching on YouTube and listening on audio, this group of people are so passionate about helping you learn how to paint, but not just learn how to paint, helping you to break out a realism and be the most wholehearted artist and skilled that you can possibly be. And so these are just some of the faces behind the team, and it's so such a privilege to work with all of you. And I was thinking that I wanna ask you all the same question and just get a quick answer response from you. I wanted to ask you all along the, the same lines as the power of art and what is the power of art, what would be your biggest dream to see happen in the world? Like I'm thinking big, big dream that you feel like art could do. Like what would, how far would you love to see art change the world? And since you think I'm gonna start with you Charla, I'm not.
Marijanel (10:09):
Uh, how about, how about I start with Axel. Axel, what would be the big dream of the power of art for Axel Martinez?
Axel (10:18):
That is such an easy question. I had the answer right there at, at, at the verge of my lips. And, um, I would love for all of us to be able to communicate, to find an art, a common language, where we can see eye to eye, where we can create beauty, where can, uh, just feast on that, just have that feeling that, um, that we can see eye to eye, that we can communicate. That's, that to me would be my dream.
Marijanel (10:49):
So good. I love it. I wasn't expecting that. I, I love that you would love for us to communicate as the big dream for art and Luzdy, I'll take it to you. What would be your big dream to see in the power of art?
Luzdy (11:06):
I think it comes to mind everything that happens in the world that just affects our hearts and impact us. So for me, is the big dream is to find comfort, and to find, like, to Axel's point that communication, that language, um, that is surrounded by love and by God, or by, you know, the universe or what people strongly believe in that would be my, my dream.
Marijanel (11:34):
Hmm. I love that. And surprise, Charla, it's you now. What would be your big dream?
Charla (11:41):
Um, I'm just loving listen to the answers. I think it's, it does go along with that same idea of us sharing, um, our, our hope through our art. And I think by sharing our hope and, and the -- I'm trying to find really big, inspiring words -- but, you know, the solutions to our own problems that we work out through our art becomes what Axel said, like that communication to other people. And I think to what Luzdy said, it becomes our way of showing love to other people. In our world where we have to be so politically correct, like, you have to be so worried that I'm saying the wrong word all the time, and I just want the person that's next to me to know that I love them. I care about them. My life has hard stuff. And so does yours. And I want you to know that you're loved.
Charla (12:33):
So it's, it's a way to communicate, and a way to show love, and to show hope, because I have hope in, in things that I've experienced. And I know the person next to me has hope in the ways that they've, in the things they've experienced, and we can give each other those, those hopes because we, we, we can get -- I'm gonna start crying soon. Um, you know, like we could just get so down about certain parts of our lives, that the parts that we're struggling in, we don't see a way out, but maybe Axel has seen that way out already. So, he gets to show me that through his art, where it becomes really difficult to say those things to each other, 'cuz we, we don't know what's going on in somebody's life and somebody's, uh, experiences, you know, and it's, it is. It's communication and it's love, and it's, we get to change people's lives through our art that way. And I think in a sense that dream's already coming true, but you know, it...
Marijanel (13:27):
Absolutely is. I was thinking it's coming true in many ways for you through Bold School and seeing, seeing the, the impact and the power that art is having through this school.
Charla (13:40):
Yeah. Yeah. I fully agree. So, if you say maybe is a bigger dream, because maybe I am already experiencing that with you guys, um, I think the, a bigger, even a bigger dream for me is in a sense to change the art world. This is a huge dream. Because the art world becomes this place of art galleries. Like, these high end art galleries where art's selling for all kinds of money, and nobody can seem to get our, you know, as artists we're like, what is our, what is our, what are we gonna do as an artist? We're gonna get represented by a gallery and sell our art. It's kind of like the only option that, you know, it comes mind right off the bat. That's what an artist does. I would like to see that change. I'd like to see it, not galleries disappear or anything along those lines at all, but for that, um, that, that unreachable place to change for us to make it reachable to the, our neighbor and each other and people who don't understand art, you know, for it to become a more attainable, um, life for us as artist to share art.
Charla (14:43):
But then as people who don't own original art on their walls, to be able to own it, and to have avenues to, to do that. And it's not just this high end ,fine art world, we get to have great art on our walls. Everybody does. That's what I'd like to see.
Marijanel (14:57):
That's amazing. And that's what we, we love about working with you Charla is that heart right there behind that dream. And so I wanna take it over to you, Corey, what is the heart behind Corey's big dream and seeing the power of art change the world?
Corey (15:14):
Well, of course going last, um, I would say, you know, like a little bit of what everybody has said has been on my mind, as well. But I, I think my first response to that was I see art as a way to communicate as Axel said, but to communicate... I mean, art is there, and it's capable of pushing boundaries. And it's capable of expressing things that maybe are not, you know, of, of a real universally accepted, um, you know, ideas or thoughts, uh, et cetera. And so, the fact that say, I can do art that maybe is tapping into some mental health issues, and it's bringing voice to that. Or somebody can do art, you know, uh, you know, having to do with LGBTQ issues, and it's creating something beautiful that can reach and touch everybody. And I would hope that even those people who maybe don't wanna hear those messages can find the beauty in the art that is conveying those messages. Um, you know, that maybe is something that is coming from the fringes of society or from a place where people don't wanna hear it. Um, but there's beauty there, and I would hope that everyone can see that beauty in the art.
Charla (16:39):
Yeah, that's awesome.
Marijanel (16:40):
I love from all of your responses to that big question that like the question is so out there, so big, but yet all of you touched on matters of the heart. And you touched on, on aspects that are actually attainable, communication, hope, comfort. And one thing I heard in Corey is just acceptance and diversity. And I, I hear that those are all heart matters, and it makes me think that the power of art is really heart matters. We see it as these big, skilled, uh, performances that we, we do and we create, and yet it comes from the space within us, the space of the heart. And that's what we're longing to see change and happen is heart changes and life changes.
Luzdy (17:29):
My question is for you, Marijanel.
Marijanel (17:32):
Ah!
Charla (17:32):
Yeah. Good one.
Luzdy (17:32):
I would like to hear from you about the power of art and what's your dream.
Charla (17:40):
Yes, yes.
Axel (17:40):
Good question.
Corey (17:40):
Turn it around on her.
Marijanel (17:42):
I did not expect to be on this panel. The power of art. And of course I've had no time to think...
Luzdy (17:47):
Neither did we.
Marijanel (17:47):
But I have had time hear what you... I know.
Charla (17:50):
Exactly.
Marijanel (17:52):
That's true. That's true. Okay. So, the power of art was your question on what, what my big dream was in the power of art? Um, well, I have lots of big dreams, and I've been known to be a dreamer, not only just in my own art, but just like even the dreams I have for Bold School and seeing where you guys could be and go, I love to see lives, change through art, love it. And in all of your answers, I heard pieces of what I would say or feel about seeing the communication and the hope. And I've seen art be a tool that people feeling the lowest of the low, like ready to give up on life, have felt hope by engaging in art and not just painting, but many forms of art have been life changing for people.
Marijanel (18:48):
I personally feel like my life was really ch like changed as a teenager from being able to be in music. And I felt like music kind of saved me from dark years in, in teenage life. And so I've seen the power of art, and I think what my big, big dream would be would, would be to give that opportunity to people. In many forms, like, um, painting sculpture, music, recording. I've, I've actually pulled back the curtain earlier where I told you that I have, um, a little editing team who are helping with the, the podcast video editing. I love to empower young people. I love to see them get a glimpse of their own talent, because I feel like when people get a glimpse of their talent, it's all the things you guys mentioned. It's the hope, the communication, that comfort of going, oh my goodness, I could be something. Like, my life... I don't have to flip burgers forever. Not, not that flipping burgers are bad for a season, but like, you don't have to do that forever because you could get a hope of something else, like a taste of something else that could be purposeful where you could bring your inside out and have a voice. And I thrive on that. I thrive on seeing people come into who they're meant to be. That would be my big answer, Luzdy.
Luzdy (20:16):
Thank you for sharing that.
Charla (20:19):
That's a good one.
Marijanel (20:19):
Yeah. Any last questions before we close things off here?
Corey (20:24):
Well, I did. When you told us we were gonna be asking each other questions, I came up with something. So, I'm gonna do it now. But my question is isn't just for one person. It's for Charla and, Axel, and Luzdy. And Marijanel, if you'd like to answer, as well. I'm just curious about what kind of goals you guys have. Like what's the next step you wanna take with your art? What's, what's a goal that you wanna reach with your artwork, maybe say in the next year to a couple years? Is there something that, like, that you're pushing for? I know Axel wants to get into figure painting. Um, so I'm just curious what you guys are looking ahead to.
Charla (21:05):
Who wants to go first?
Axel (21:08):
I think Charla.
Corey (21:08):
I call on Charla.
Axel (21:08):
Yeah, Charla should go first.
Charla (21:11):
Okay. My goal is just to paint more because I've been painting way less lately while we're growing the company, which is awesome. 'Cause I love what we're doing. Um, I think the thing I've been really wanting to work on more and I haven't had the opportunity is, is texture. Like, I mean, if you've taken my classes, you know, I talk about texture. I love texture. I love everything texture. I wanna get more elements of texture. Like, um, it's hard to even explain, but almost like a more 3D element in my work than I have I've had done before. I just usually do some basic texturizing, but I wanna use it more as elements in my pieces. And I kind of like I do with the embroidery. Like, I bring that in as like a new element to a piece. I wanna bring 3D texture, in and I don't even know how to do it.
Charla (22:00):
I've experimented with some stuff I've shared this with Marijanel. It's been complete failures, all like literally fallen off my canvas. Like, so I am in the process of learning that right now. And I don't, I have a hard time finding people to, um, learn from 'cuz not a lot of people do it. I did find an artist recently actually on Instagram -- I need to check her out -- who was doing just some amazing 3D stuff. So, I love sculpture, and I think I have a dream of doing sculpture in the future. I always say I'm gonna be a sculptor when I retire. So, I think that I'm just bringing that, um, that creative or that, that like, what's the word when you crave that...
Corey (22:37):
Tactile? oh.
Charla (22:37):
Craving, that creative craving into my painting. Um, probably as just a jump to sculpture. But I, I do feel like I wanna achieve a way to bring that into the canvas more than I have. More than I, or in new ways than I've already been able to do. So, that's my really long I, I go long on my answers.
Corey (23:00):
And how about, how about Luzdy?
Marijanel (23:02):
Oh Luzdy. Oh, sorry.
Corey (23:04):
I get to pick since I asked the question.
Marijanel (23:07):
So, we'll go Luzdy
Luzdy (23:08):
Sure. I mean the first thing that comes to mind or came to mind when you said that was I really looking forward, my goal is to have more time.
Charla (23:16):
Yeah.
Luzdy (23:16):
More time to paint, and more time to do what I want. Um, but I've always been interesting in creating more art that has more concept to it. I mean, I'm always trying to create stories, right? And when I, so for example, when I'm trying to choose a reference photo, I try, I always try to imagine what the message could be, right? So, I'm always seeking that. And, and so part of my goal is achieving that. I mean, I have a love for figures and, but I wanna give that different concept to it. Um, so, so yeah, I mean, that's, that's how I see my art evolving, uh, in the, in the future, maybe the near future, but yes.
Charla (24:02):
I think I'm totally with you. Like, I want to be able to bring them more. That's why I think I love bringing that embroidery element. I think about the 3D element. It's a, it's more of a story, right? You become, begin to tell more, more of the story rather than just having expression. You bring in other aspects, and Marijanel might, might really get upset about this after our podcast is done. She might... I might get in trouble, but we have somebody, we have a surprise with a new instructor that may be coming on board. Who's gonna be doing ex teaching her process, which is exactly that. And just as a, like an, um, maybe a more selfish perspective is I can't wait to hear from her because she does this incredibly, and I know, see you're going kill me, aren't you, Marijanel?
Luzdy (24:53):
Exciting.
Marijanel (24:53):
It's just, it's not for sure yet. So, now this podcast might help convince her.
Charla (24:59):
Yeah. And nobody knows anything about it yet. It's a completely brand new thing, but I'm just, I've just, I'm excited about it so I can learn from her. And just because you said that, so yeah, when we turn the cameras off, we can talk about that more.
Marijanel (25:14):
Which is more of the behind the scenes of Bold School.
Charla (25:17):
Yeah.
Marijanel (25:18):
And so Axel, do you wanna respond to Corey's question now?
Axel (25:23):
Yes. Uh, I do want to get into figures. Um, uh, I want to expand a little bit into the portraiture to include bodies. Uh, but I think that if I was to say the one thing that I'm really pursuing understanding and, um, breaking the mystery of color. That really intrigues me to no end. I mean, I can be staring at a piece, uh, for so long, and I just wanna look what I'm seeing. I wanna see why it is that it makes me feel that way. Why the light works, uh, in that specific color. Um, so I, I don't, don't think I'm honestly ever going to stop studying color. Uh,
Charla (26:12):
Yeah,
Axel (26:14):
I think that would be it. That would be my goal. Understanding color.
Charla (26:18):
Well there, till the day you die, right? Like that's probably what we'll all be doing until the day we die.
Axel (26:21):
Absolutely.
Luzdy (26:23):
Yeah.
Marijanel (26:25):
Such good answers and such good questions, too.
Charla (26:29):
What about Corey, though? I wanna hear from Corey.
Luzdy (26:30):
Yeah, we are waiting for her.
Marijanel (26:32):
Oh. I guess you have to ask, ask the question to yourself.
Corey (26:35):
Yeah. I guess I should have thought of an answer before. No, I mean, for me, and I think you guys have seen this through my progression in Bold School, I am constantly pushing towards more looseness and more deconstruction of, uh, my portraits or whatever I happen to be painting. But even though I've evolved, you know, somewhat in that respect since I began here, I really wanna push even further. So I, I just really want to be able to go beyond those outlines and...
Charla (27:11):
Yeah.
Corey (27:11):
And create that movement and that excitement in, in my pieces. Um, more so than I'm doing already.
Marijanel (27:18):
Amazing. Well, I can't wait to see all of you pursue all of these endeavors and dreams in your art. And Charla. I can't wait to see you do some 3D. I remember years ago when I was hosting pottery classes, you came and you sculpted a little guy with a saxophone. Remember that?
Charla (27:39):
Yeah. Something about that.
Marijanel (27:40):
That little sculpture with a saxophone. And so I can't wait to see that 3D start popping out of your canvases and the sculpture that will come forth, and Axel your love for color, Luzdy, I know there will be more time that you can, can grow and add the elements and the dreams into your art and, and Corey's looseness. The looseness that you'll be exploring. It's exciting to see. So, thank you everybody for all your questions and answers and for being on the panel today. And if anyone's wondering how to become a member inside the community, it happens through going to boldschool.com and becoming a member, a subscriber to Bold School, and then you get access to the inside community. So, you not only get access to classes with all of these amazing instructors, but then you get access to the inside community where there will be the house warming party that Charla is mentioning and all kinds of other exciting events and happenings are in the works on the inside of Bold School. And all to all of our watchers and listeners for being here with us at the Bold Artist podcast, you know where to find us, and check out boldschool.com. If you don't already have your subscription to where you can learn from and be mentored by these amazing people. We're so happy to have you here with us today and hell next time, keep
All (29:09):
creating!
Out Takes: (29:09):
...
Marijanel (29:09):
Wording by accident again. So, let's quick ask some questions, but...
Corey (29:23):
Oh gosh, I shouldn't have said that.
Marijanel (29:25):
Corey,
Charla (29:25):
Was guiding us out
