Art

Motto:

Imagination is the only place where the human soul feels at home

— Terrence McKenna

Disclosure: I have never defined myself as an “artist.” I am a graphic designer by profession, and I love to give shape and color to different art forms. Recently I found myself participating in exhibitions, after I “shed light” on my own, very personal work, daring exposure to the general public. This process gives me great excitement and provides me closure of an important circle. Today I am healthy and busy making art, telling my story to share another perspective with medical staff and to encourage other patients like me.

Why? A few years ago, I became sick. While it was not that disease, it was a painful and disturbing illness that shook me to my core. I released my pain and fear into my CT scans. I focused on the encounter, connecting the “objective” and the “subjective” expressions of my feelings, from my soul and the afflictions of my body. I went through various medical processes as a result of this illness, which opened all my barriers, literally—health and creativity.

How? Since then, when the muse takes over (especially at night), I dive into my keyboard and create the digital collages that swirl in my head. The collages I create consist of digital drawings (using Logitech’s Harmony software), photographic elements, color surfaces, processed together in Photoshop, until the moment I feel that the eye is happy and the hands relax, and the imagination has become a reality of form and color.

Who am I? I am Michal, a professional graphic designer and an artist in my very being. With an open mind and an observing eye, I create, breathe, and live the colors and shapes. I give freedom to my imagination and get excited about creating something new each time, beginning with a single black line.

Enlightenment and comment: “I have no great message for the nation,” but it is clear to me that when the body is sick, it is important to listen to the soul, allowing it to handle the “body” that contains it, so that the hand and the soul flow and create in its own unique way.

Links

The beginning – CT

A reimagining of ‘self’ by Michal Saar-Bleiweiss

A few years ago, I became ill and had to undergo surgery. While sitting in the office of a professor who specializes in CT* decoding, I saw my body from the inside, and it was at this moment that my creative impulse arose. Just recently I returned to an international conference in Amsterdam, where I presented my artworks.
The reactions of the visitors to the exhibition were moving.
Here you can read more about my experience ...

Sketches

During my illness time, I met Prof. Leibowitz, a doctor who is an artist in his own right, he introduced me to the "Harmonic" painting software. Simple drawing software, with several types of brushes that allows the user to scribble mainly in black and white.

Collage

Over time, the black and white colors that enabled the "Harmony software" were not enough.

Some of those sketches, scribbled spontaneously on my iPad with my left little finger, made me want to add colors and images and create something new.

Next step

Recently, as I continued scribbling, drawing and making my collages, I looked for another creative way that would allow me to add more interesting layers to my artwork.

One evening I decided to join one of my photographs as a background for one of my scribbles. While doing so, I discovered a "New World".

Point of view

Time goes on and I keep looking for new ways to express myself.

I found a creative and challenging way.

I choose a photo from my private "Image Bank", which I continue to build during my travels around.

The selected photo, without any visual manipulation, I combine with a new drawing – created with a digital pen I recently purchased.

Sometimes, I also add different elements and thus create my new perspective.

Talking Heads

I happened to come across boxes with all kinds of objects that I'd collected over the years. My hands started to tell me that I needed to create something from all this stuff—something three dimensional.

When I came across the Styrofoam head, I knew I'd found my next field of creative work.

T-shirts

"Clothes mean nothing until someone lives in them."

Marc Jacobs

I designed my first t-shirt as a birthday present for my beloved husband.

The overwhelmingly positive feedback encouraged me to print more of my drawings on T-shirts. I am proud and happy that there are people who enjoy wearing my paintings.

Graphic-design

Michal—A designer who creates interest.

Open mind and examining eye. Experience. Lots of experience. Creative thinker. Professional. Sensitive. Punctual. Practical. Fair. Diligent. And all with a smile. A big smile. Creating solutions that work with bold ideas, bold colors.

Photos

I love what I see

In my day-to-day life, I walk around with wide-open eyes, absorbing the shapes, compositions, and colors around me, capturing the sights that catch my eye. All these photos I take create a personal image bank with a variety of visuals, such as landscapes, people, colors, and atmospheres: a database for inspiration.