Body Art for the Soul and Symbols

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In Read Article Posted October 23, 2019

Two questions people ask me frequently are “why do you paint bodies?” and “what do you mean by what is your symbol?”.  So here goes.  I paint bodies because I LOVE it.  I get a natural high out of it.  I feel like I am bringing something unique and different especially by adding a spiritual element to it.  It’s a time for me to connect with my muse and get to know who they really are.  Painting on canvas is great but it’s an isolating experience.  I love working with people and connecting with them.  I also love seeing their reaction after I’m done with the whole process.  One young lady loved her Body Art session so much that she left on the paint the rest of the day.  She went to lunch, her therapist, and her astrologist with all of it still on.  Now that made my day!  It’s all about energy and how that art makes one feel.

I always ask my muse “what is your symbol?”.  What do I mean by that?  For example, mine is gold.  If you are familiar with my work, I always put a gold dot on the neck of the women I paint.  Gold is my symbol because it represents the gold within each and every one of us if we dig deep enough.  Back in the day when men were mining for gold, it took days, weeks, years to find.  There was a lot of labor and sweat involved.  That’s how it is when you are trying to find yourself and your true potential.  That is the way it has been for me anyway.  I have spent years trying to figure out who Sheryl Benjy is.  I kept denying the fact that I was an artist and that I have this gift to share.  Once I embraced it and began to do the inner work, so much unfolded for me.  One of my muses had a leaf as her symbol because she was vegan, another had a hummingbird.   What is your symbol?

This last body painting I did is of a young lady named Ashton.  Her symbol, the lotus.  What does a lotus represent?  In ancient Eastern philosophy, a lotus represents rebirth and spiritual enlightenment.  The lotus stunned people with its ability to dip into the grime and revive itself unscathed-an incredible daily cycle of life, death, and a sudden immaculate rebirth that can only be described as spiritual.

So there it is, my answers to your questions.  I hope this helps you understand my process better and understand me as an artist.  Thank you for reading my blog!  Continue being the creative spirit that you are because we were all born to create.  Don’t ever forget that.

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