High Art 2020 Finalist Spotlight: Adhan Stewart
“A Young Artist Overwhelmed” – Adhan Stewart – High Art 2020 Finalist
”My Art is good because my life, my life is good because my art.” – Adahn
“As a child I was raised with an affluent amount of freedom creativity and safety. One would assume this would aid a child in becoming open and optimistic about life possibilities. In my experience it has afforded me the opposite. Depression and fear evolved me to a passive participant of my own life. Making me unable to disconnect from my one and only comfort blanket, art. If there was anything to devote my time to besides my craft, I wasn’t interested in coming out from under to see it.
For years I absentmindedly moved through young adulthood taking two steps forward and one step back. I couldn’t let go of my art in a world so non conducive to my arrested development. Only when I allowed myself to relax and flow with the magic of life was I able to open up to possibility. Fighting and struggling with life due to my experiences led me to a wall. That wall became a mirror, that mirror, as I allowed it, showed me to restructure, retune, and reform my outlook. This all came from infusing what was obviously lacking, an actual life. I took a break. A true break from solely indulging in my craft and found ways to craft an existence outside of art. Ultimately leading to an explosion of creativity, prompted by the subconscious growth of allowing my artistic brain to feed off a life well lived. this piece represents all the lessons I’ve gained from going through that process.
To fully realize myself and potential as an artist I’ve had to succumb to the waters of life, flow with the magic and allow myself to live.
My image depicts a young artist enjoying a well deserved break from his studio. While checking back in to the outside world he lights up a joint and find a lot more checking back with him than he expected. the Universe is opening up. revealing inspiration, awe and magic.”