Red Fairy, painting by Juan Bielsa

Red fairy
Oil on board, 60.5 x 76 cm
© Juan Bielsa

In my art femininity is very important. I don't think women are better than men, in general. But I do believe that values associated traditionally with women and femininity are the important ones in this era. Over the years I think my vision of things has become "more feminine". Or at least I live and think this way: I love nature, I love animals, I try to listen and be humble (although I fail many times). Family is very important for me, and I like to take care of little, valuable things, and I dislike violence even in games, and certainly I'm not a possessive person...

It is hard to explain, but I think my contemplative view of things has a feminine side. And my artistic creations reflect that point of view. I understand a certain feminine world and I don't understand a world of men. Maybe my "feminine world" is not real, that may be true as well. I don't care. That is the world I love. Each person has its origins, its influences. In my life the influence of Provence and troubadours is an essential one. In Ancient times, in Provence women were the center of the universe, women and the idea of femininity. And socially and politically their role were very, very important.

In my art there are some clues, among them contemplation and femininity. In my works, these two aspects are the same. For me contemplation is the supreme happiness, but it needs femininity, it needs the freshness of life and love, it needs a supreme beauty, an inner beauty and the beauty of dreams.

I paint fairies, I paint sphinxes, I paint an idealized beauty that can convey this idea: meditation and freedom, absolute happiness, a paradise. Paradise, for me, is contemplation and love, and women have a lot to say about these two things. My passion for colors and forms is fully feminine. My passion for love and romanticism is fully feminine. Even my vision of religion is entirely feminine. My art... is in some way very feminine. "Unrealistically" feminine I would say.

I think this world of ours, in this time of absolute disaster, needs the full potential of women, needs the vision of women, needs the solutions of women, needs women who are not afraid of being fully themselves. Because we need, I think, femininity. We need love and compassion, we need the inner forces of the universe to work for a better future. The future, clearly, is feminine.

I don't usually say this, but I must say that I love this painting of mine, I love this "being", this red fairy. So if someone loves her like I do, I would be happy. The price of the painting is symbolic. If you love it, it can be yours, don't pay too much attention to the money. I you love it, if you love this "red fairy" she can be your woman of the infinite. Only in this case I could "sell" her. I love her like a symbol of freedom, like a love of my youth.

Juan Bielsa

Painting by Juan Bielsa: The way of the stars.

The way of the stars
Oil on board, 60.7 x 48.5 cm
© Juan Bielsa

I remember when I painted "The way of the stars". Some paintings are the result of a sort of magic. I painted this work like dancing. There was no conscious effort, no struggle. Just the forms appeared naturally. I did not make any correction. In one day the painting was done, like emerging from the land of rhythm.

For me the most important part of making art is mental preparation, meditation, playing mentally with colors, silence. If we have the necessary skills and techniques, when inspiration comes, we are ready to undertake the process of "materialising" Spirit into forms. I do believe in hard work, but the same I do believe in inspiration. The best of my poems have been done in this way. In ancient China the best painters had a similar approach into art. They produced in this way immortal paintings; there is Spirit on them. And it is the same in Zen.

Juan Bielsa

Twitter, powerful. Use it carefully.

I wrote another post about Twitter and on it I already said that Twitter seemed to me potentially addictive. Well, some days "twittering" have confirmed that intuition.

Twitter can be extremely addictive. Enough said.

I run multiple blogs and they demand a lot or work, sometimes. But I've always felt FREE. I never thought of them when I was doing something else. At least for me blogging has never been addictive.

Even if someone has a lot of time, I think it would be sound advice to say this: be absolutely cautious in the manner you use Twitter. It can be a good (and powerful) tool, but has also considerable risks.

I know that many people are doing great and positive things on Twitter, and it can be a powerful resource of information, good links, advice... but nevertheless it continues to be potentially addictive. Even you can organize most of your life according to the tasks you do on Twitter.

I absolutely don't like to be, for example, in the fields, or travelling, and at the same time thinking on what I'm missing on Twitter (new followers, new messages, expectatives of other people, trying to keep up with them...) I must repeat that writing my blogs I always felt, generally, fresh and relaxed. In few cases has been a stressful activity. If having just started on Twitter and having few followers I can foresee potential addiction, what could be said of people who have, for example, 900, 4,000 or more followers?

I know, some people are more prone to be involved in addictions than others, and so this kind of people must be very, very careful.

Being Twitter a powerful tool, and in some cases an extraordinary tool (if you look for specific information and advice) you can take advantage of it, but we must be on our guard.

As an example of the power of Twitter, you can read some short poems that I've written subjecting myself to the well known restriction of characters on Twitter. So they can be called "literatwitter". In the same fashion, Twitter can mold many areas of your life. If we control, that's ok, we have access to a powerful, useful tool, if not, it can make of our lives "twitterlives".

In conclusion, at least in my opinion services as Twitter or other social media, can be wonderful if we know how to use self-discipline in our lives; if not, we can miss in the end many wonders and peace because of an addiction.

Obviously I'm not a psychologist or specialist on addictions, so what I've said only represents a personal opinion.

I'll continue using Twitter (as long as I feel in control of the situation), basically to inform people about updates on my blogs, but I'm aware now that I'm dealing with dynamite.

Juan Bielsa

Literatwitter

Landscape of Pyrenees
Photograph by my Aragonese friend
Migalánchel Martín Pardos

Humble people, humble people,
how beautiful you are,
always living in the gardens
of the heart,
children of heaven.

In the streets of this village,
in Aragon,
rains.
Now my village
is a Scottish village.
How beautiful the music of drops!
The Highlands.

And my cat, now,
in the distant house,
watching through the window...
But here I'm now,
twittering. Raining.
My poor, poor,
solitary cat.

Dying,
my dog raised his head
to see,
for the last time,
beloved deserts.

Night.
And then you smile.
Sunshine.

As the work of astrologers
is mapping all the stars,
poets also have a task:
they are always mapping
universes of the heart.

Writing in English
I never studied English
Surreal worlds

At school
Studying French
My childhood

The day my grandmother died
a thousand words died forever.
Every single day a language dies.
What a silence...

I love you.
So you can fly,
if you want,
into the Infinite.

Trembling stars.
And a million of worlds speaking,
millions of lights speaking,
millions of souls speaking,
in the language of Silence.

Some years ago,
I used to go to dance
on saturday night.
Now,
here I'm,
studying metaphysics.

Jewels around the Heart:
An elegant woman.

Juan Bielsa

Thanks a lot

A gift from my friend
Kim Rodeffer

Kim Rodeffer has nominated me for the Scribbler Award. Thanks a lot, kim.

But for me the real award is receiving this nomination from a person whom I appreciate very much as an artist, person, and blogger. Really that's the award! It is the same in life, I think. We care for honest gifts, simple gifts given to us by friends or our loved ones. Yes, there are "official awards" out there that we can appreciate, but in the long run the most important awards come from honest, good people, giving their best wishes and love to us, without expecting nothing.

So, Kim, thank you for this award that you give to me; it is irrelevant if I don't get the "real" award. I care for "this" award, coming from your generosity and kindness.

There are so many wonderful blogs of artists and creative people... As an example, these fabulous blogs which I visit regularly; You'll find there great ideas, creativity, extraordinary people... Modestly, "my award" goes to them, from my heart:

• Ink Vanilla - June Parrish Cookson
• Embrace Living - Celestine Chua
• Look Far - Amanda Linehan
• Lesly Finn
• Philip's abstractions

Juan Bielsa