Kellye Kathyrn Betancourt

picture of face Sometimes I just want to hear the paint glide across the canvas and whatever evolves does so pretty much on its own. I just like the glide.

I am a self taught artist. I rarely have in mind what I want to paint. I just begin and go where it takes me. I always paint with music, I can’t imagine the silence.

Painting satisfies my sense of wonder and, just as important, my humanity.

What I’ve learned from painting: When to stop. To let go of fear, fear that you are making a mistake – there are no mistakes, you just haven’t finished. When your mind is in that place where there is no fear, no mistakes, you are open to go to places you never could before, the possibilities really are endless. The days I paint, time stops, it does not exist. It has no relationship to my actions. That is a strange and incredible feeling.

My medium is color and paint, for others it may be wood or copper or words. Art in any medium captures and frees an energy that we recognize and respond to. This energy has the power to reach beyond borders, cultures, religions; it is the energy we share as human beings. That energy is what we all have in common and it is far greater than what separates us.

I believe that our world today is a small place, smaller than it was just one generation ago, even with so many more people in it. And this world, our world, is in desperate need of healing and finding peace and calm. We haven’t learned much from our past. We still send our children to war. We still hate on massive levels. We still fear the unknown. We are still ignorant of each others’ cultures, ways, and thoughts. We need different perspectives. We need to ask different questions. We need to behave better. I believe art can help us do that. Art takes you to a different place, gives you a different perspective, generates questions that spark communication and learning. And that is why I am in awe of the power and possibilities of art and the process of creating. It carries our collective energy and possibilities without judgment or fear. It opens our eyes and hearts.