The Role of Vulnerability, Family, and Creativity in an Artist’s Growth w/ Philemona Williamson

Timestamp	Summary
0:00	The Joy and Challenges of Traditional Painting Versus Digital Art
4:42	Discovering Art and Teaching as a Lifelong Passion
11:20	Taking Risks and Achieving Success in the Art World
15:40	The Joy and Journey of a Lifelong Artist
21:06	Technical Difficulties and Communication Challenges During a Conversation
22:38	The Vulnerability and Emotional Challenges of Being an Artist
28:36	The Intuitive and Fearless Process of Creating Art
36:13	Embracing Life’s Surprises and Appreciating Every Moment
39:09	Balancing Art, Family, and Self-Belief
43:29	Balancing Artistic Ambitions and Personal Struggles
46:16	Balancing Career, Family, and Creative Processes
48:14	Navigating Professional and Personal Pressures as a Female Artist
50:09	Balancing Career Aspirations and Family Goals
51:59	The Unpredictable Path to Success in the Art World
54:59	Follow Your Heart: An Artist’s Journey and Advice

Timestamp	Summary
0:00	Starting the Conversation
0:24	Passion for Arts Administration
1:10	Neglecting Self as an Artist
2:26	Balancing Multiple Roles as Women in Art
3:19	Vulnerability in Art and Curating
4:05	Harmony Rosales Exhibition
7:42	Challenges of Exhibiting Non-Christian Art at Christian Schools
9:02	Impact of Colonialism on Culture
10:19	Indian Mythology and Identity Restoration
12:00	Westernization of Yoga
14:08	Authentic Yoga Practices in India
15:17	Claiming Craft and Art Traditions
17:18	African and Indian Artistic Similarities
19:00	Elevating Craft and Woman’s Work in Art
23:29	Role of Artists in Preserving Culture
25:32	Recuperating History Through Art
27:38	Importance of Representation in Museums
28:17	Ming Smith’s Exhibition
30:31	Access and Validation in Museums
32:27	Advice for Aspiring Artists
35:48	Building Relationships with Curators
39:17	Parameters for Selecting Artists for Exhibitions
43:00	Mastery of Craft and Cultural Significance
44:30	Closing Remarks and Gratitude

**** – (): 00:00:00.80

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): ah Okay, here we go. Welcome to the podcast, Filimona.

**** – (): 00:00:04.50

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Thank you very much. so So nice to be here. So nice to meet you.

**** – (): 00:00:08.56

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Very, very excited to have you. i and We both have made a lot of effort to make this possible.

**** – (): 00:00:14.17

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): yeah

**** – (): 00:00:15.14

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And it’s truly

**** – (): 00:00:15.11

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Yes, technical effort on my part because I challenged that way.

**** – (): 00:00:20.49

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No, i think I think technology is new for all of us. It does not matter. like you know We just have different degree of where we get stuck. And not only technology, aren’t we all learning like students of life? There will always be something that I may not know, you may know better than me, and somebody else would know better than each one of us. So it’s a circle, isn’t it?

**** – (): 00:00:44.51

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That’s true. That’s true. I just think that, you know, as as a painter, I have really been sort of focused just on paint. I do draw also, but, you know, my my practice is just painting and the idea of it adding technology to it or thinking about it is just so outside of my the realm of my thinking that everything that has to do with the computer just feels like overwhelming.

**** – (): 00:01:14.34

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It’s like, what?

**** – (): 00:01:14.87

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What do you think about the art people are making with AI today then?

**** – (): 00:01:19.90

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): No comment, no comment. No comment. I can’t really say anything about that. ah You know, but when I don’t, I enjoy the physical process of making things.

**** – (): 00:01:28.44

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): It’s a tricky one.

**** – (): 00:01:35.67

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): thanks

**** – (): 00:01:37.07

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I enjoy the the messiness of it. I enjoy the, you know, the smell of oil paint, the, oh my god, it’s all over my hands.

**** – (): 00:01:49.12

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um And I didn’t mean it to get there. I enjoy wiping off paint from a canvas with a big rag. So so the the cleanliness of working on a computer, I don’t understand at all.

**** – (): 00:02:05.86

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): But yeah, that’s my process.

**** – (): 00:02:06.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:02:08.04

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I’m sure it everyone has a different process.

**** – (): 00:02:08.54

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah so I started off being digital. I started off being digital. I’m still very digitally savvy. Like I am pretty comfortable, but I can get to the, I get to the, you know, where you say physical, like I’m, even though I’m, I love digital and I’m very comfortable and all of the, but just the creative part, like making something with my own hands and having textiles and like

**** – (): 00:02:17.79

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm hmm.

**** – (): 00:02:27.97

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm hmm.

**** – (): 00:02:32.91

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): fabric and things and getting messy like that feeling it’s like i want to make art also because normally because i have something to say or sometimes i don’t have something to say it’s because i want to like it’s it’s like it it grounds me it gives me um connection it it takes me to nature i like it’s something that i just cannot be without

**** – (): 00:02:55.01

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Right. Yeah, that’s it how I feel. and But, you know, i there I’m sure there are many advantages to the digital, which I should… No, I have found that um I usually use a model, like a real model ah for some of the poses.

**** – (): 00:03:16.48

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): They can’t get into all of the poses that I have my figures get into, but I will use, they’re complicated, yeah, and they’re, you know, they’re contortions.

**** – (): 00:03:19.52

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah yeah the very um yeah

**** – (): 00:03:26.95

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): In between, they are like, yeah.

**** – (): 00:03:28.15

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): They’re contortions. So I will use a model i’ll use the top part of a model and then I’ll say, okay, let’s just do the top part of you and then have your legs do this at another time.

**** – (): 00:03:38.81

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um And I have found that if I take a a photograph of them in the pose that I think, you know, the full pose and look at it, it’s like, whoa, that’s really impossible.

**** – (): 00:03:53.47

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): OK, let’s see. So it’s just like ah another sort of way of looking at it.

**** – (): 00:03:57.29

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Can you test it up then?

**** – (): 00:03:59.43

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): No, I don’t use it. Then I just I look at it and think, oh, yeah, I see that really is impossible. That’s not the the the composition that I want for that body to be in, I really wanted something.

**** – (): 00:04:13.58

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And so then I invented. So it’s really, I look at the reality, see what the reality would look like, um you know, and then I change it.

**** – (): 00:04:17.48

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah. yeah

**** – (): 00:04:26.76

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So I do, you know, it’s another long process that I go through as opposed to just putting the work on the wrist.

**** – (): 00:04:33.41

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): and When was the first time do you remember when did you when did you pick up a brush or started to paint?

**** – (): 00:04:42.01

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um

**** – (): 00:04:42.33

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What was the first time for you?

**** – (): 00:04:44.33

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): ah The first time was when I was in junior high school. And I was really fortunate enough to go to a school where they had a special art program.

**** – (): 00:04:50.49

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): and

**** – (): 00:04:56.45

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And it was ah the art it was special because they had artists teaching. um And it was like one person teaching. um She was a painter, Joan Thorne, and she’s still now she’s a friend.

**** – (): 00:05:11.28

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): oh

**** – (): 00:05:11.49

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): okay

**** – (): 00:05:12.01

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): oh which is incredible. um And so she, it was really showing, it was a music, art, and a science. There are three accelerated components in the school.

**** – (): 00:05:24.60

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And what happened, they were all artists were teaching art, scientists were teaching the science section, and musicians were teaching the music part.

**** – (): 00:05:32.66

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay. There’s a zigzag.

**** – (): 00:05:35.92

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So it was, you know, they presented their their discipline in a very different way than you know it wasn’t busy work it wasn’t something oh just oh here play a pretty song it was really about the the practice the discipline of the art that you were doing or the science you were doing or the music you were doing so you learned about ah actually making it but you also learned history you learned about criticism you learned about

**** – (): 00:06:09.48

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know, decisions that you’re going to make.

**** – (): 00:06:10.26

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Wow.

**** – (): 00:06:11.66

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): and But in a very, you know, a student in high school, so it was not um elevated, but it was just a very like, you know, if you’re going to make, you know, if you, what’s what’s the first thing you’d like to do on this canvas?

**** – (): 00:06:12.56

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): um

**** – (): 00:06:15.11

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): extensive. yeah

**** – (): 00:06:26.07

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Like maybe you’d like to draw something. What’s the idea? but So it was very, so that was very exciting to me because it made, you know, as an adolescent,

**** – (): 00:06:39.88

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You have no control of over anything. yeah Your body is changing. you know The world around you is like, get away. And this was the time when, what?

**** – (): 00:06:51.38

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I’m in control? I can do what I, yeah what a wonderful feeling.

**** – (): 00:06:53.73

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I can do whatever.

**** – (): 00:06:56.28

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): What a wonderful feeling of power to have when you feel so powerless in everything else in your life.

**** – (): 00:07:03.09

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:07:02.94

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So um that was when i I started and I just, yeah I just went, oh, This is it. You know, I also had personal.

**** – (): 00:07:09.97

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Did you feel you were good at it?

**** – (): 00:07:11.99

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Thank you. Pardon.

**** – (): 00:07:14.23

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Did you feel you were good at it? Like, you know, were you?

**** – (): 00:07:15.99

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You know what? I, it’s interesting because, you know, people will say, Oh, then you, they must’ve thought you were really talented. You know, I guess that, that wasn’t the focus. It was like, this is a job that you’re doing. This is,

**** – (): 00:07:36.17

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): something to pursue and yeah I guess you know of course you want to be good at it but you you don’t think that you’re oh I’m an artist that that that yeah you’re just think oh I’d like to be ah good at this painting like you go from piece to piece to piece you know it’s not it’s not I’m going to be an artist when I grow up going to it was nothing no no yeah it was just like oh I

**** – (): 00:08:00.75

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, at that point, did you know even know an artist like

**** – (): 00:08:07.06

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): but he’s just

**** – (): 00:08:09.98

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): being like a possibility of what it means to be an artist or even just getting paid. Like, you know, we all have livelihoods like bills to pay. And, you know, so just thinking like you could you could paint and get paid. Like, was that something that you knew was possible?

**** – (): 00:08:25.55

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um No, it wasn’t possible. I mean, my my family was not in the arts at all. My mother worked as a domestic and my father was a chauffeur. um And so the the idea of, of course it was important, like how are you, I mean, they didn’t present it to me in junior high school, of course. But, you know, growing up like after in high school was well, because I went on to a specialized art high school, what’s you know, what’s the job?

**** – (): 00:08:56.71

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And they thought, hmm, teaching, you teach art, you know, that would be the thing. And because I had had such wonderful art teachers along the way, that didn’t seem, and they were, you know, they weren’t just art teachers, they were practicing artists who were teaching.

**** – (): 00:09:11.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): artist.

**** – (): 00:09:12.59

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): They were artists teaching other people to be artists. And then, so it was naturally assumed, oh, then you would get a job teaching. Yeah, that was, that was, so, right.

**** – (): 00:09:22.85

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): So you thought, okay, this could like, you could become a teacher.

**** – (): 00:09:26.19

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I could pay my rent by teaching, you know, that was, you know, and, and teaching art, you know, oh, you know, it it was a profession.

**** – (): 00:09:29.38

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Teaching.

**** – (): 00:09:33.70

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What good place been I am?

**** – (): 00:09:34.56

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It was wonderful. Yeah. You know, I loved, I loved all of my teachers, you know, and all the students were super happy. So, you know, it seemed like, okay, well, that’s, that’s fine.

**** – (): 00:09:47.20

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You know, it wasn’t, um, and, you know, of course I would go to, you know, museums and galleries because the, but the teachers would have shows or they, you know, so I’d go and see them.

**** – (): 00:10:02.11

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You know, I wasn’t specifically focused on, oh, how much is that painting that they’re selling and how much are they, you know, the business part of it or the actual, and the teachers weren’t either.

**** – (): 00:10:13.06

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:10:15.94

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You know, when I was growing up, but they were not, it was not as Um, I, maybe it was not as profitable as it, or it has become, you know, it isn’t, it wasn’t a, it was a profession.

**** – (): 00:10:25.88

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah. Not from Mexico.

**** – (): 00:10:33.12

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Thank you. Pardon.

**** – (): 00:10:35.44

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I’m saying not for also not for many like not um if let’s say the hundred people only few make it to the top there you know they’re actually they can make money and save money and have like grow their careers and lies and everything a lot of people still um manage it with two three jobs and like you know

**** – (): 00:10:43.26

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Wait.

**** – (): 00:10:56.27

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Right. Right. And, you know, and that was fine. You know, as long as you had your, your art practice, as long as you were still painting, you had your studio and it you know, that, that was fine.

**** – (): 00:11:11.18

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It wasn’t, you know, that you have to be you know world renowned or getting all of these accolades. You know, it was really accolades. It was just

**** – (): 00:11:20.40

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): It was the first time when you started to feel like, okay, this could become something like, you know, you’re not only an artist, like, you found a lot of success and validation, even if we say, you know, really amazing places and also where, you know, even we see in the, in a successive way, from on Basel to like, you know, you’ve done a lot of there’s a lot of visibility

**** – (): 00:11:29.80

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm

**** – (): 00:11:42.27

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And your work has also often been, you know, very um well received and also the narratives and the story. But did you ever, when you thought like you were, you were pursuing, did you ever think that this could, this could turn out like this for you?

**** – (): 00:11:56.76

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Like, did you have any kind of, like, did you think about it?

**** – (): 00:11:57.00

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): -hmm. Did I you know I No um You know, I don’t remember I I’m sure I I wanted that did I verbalize it did I ah Have a plan to make it happen No, none of that

**** – (): 00:12:04.78

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Did you think about, oh, my work is going to be in museum one day, or I will do this? Or like, you know, did you have those dreams?

**** – (): 00:12:19.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 00:12:27.90

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No.

**** – (): 00:12:28.57

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): What I did, i I knew, I guess after I graduated from college and I was about to go to, no, I think this was even after after graduate school. I was showing in a a cooperative gallery in Soho for many for a few years after. And at one point I said to myself,

**** – (): 00:12:55.60

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You know, I think I would like to not show in this cooperative gallery, but to take it a step further. If I’m going to pursue my work, if I’m going to you know devote my life to this, to painting, what do I want to say? And where, who do I want to see it? And what do I want to say? And yeah, I i just think, look, let’s just, you know, this is,

**** – (): 00:13:25.11

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): The situation is good and it’s going along fine, but I want more. I want more of a critical eye on the work. I want more intensity to what I’m producing. I want to really be, you know, as they say, you my authentic self. and And that’s when I did a series called Childhood Memories.

**** – (): 00:13:55.16

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And I started showing at the Co-operative Gallery and I pursued a museum show in at the Queen’s Museum.

**** – (): 00:13:55.45

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:14:03.15

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Good.

**** – (): 00:14:03.67

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): They had a program where you could submit work and you might be selected to have a show. So I said, you know what? that’s I’m going to focus completely on who I am, why I am painting, what I want to say.

**** – (): 00:14:20.00

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And I did a body of work and then I presented it to the museum and that’s And that’s really how it started. So it was really me taking control of, you know, maybe I do want more than this, but, you know, it wasn’t, and now I want to do this. It was really one step at a time. And it was like, I i would like to move from a cooperative gallery to a regular gallery. And the and this was an opportunity that I did could try for. it And so i I risked it and went out.

**** – (): 00:14:55.30

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): uh, to the, for the Queen’s Museum of Art. And that’s, and that’s sort of how it all started. And that’s how I got my first gallery, um, June Kelly in New York and a California gallery, the Wanger Gallery in California.

**** – (): 00:15:07.02

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:15:11.09

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So I got both of them because of that one show. And, you know, which yeah again, it was something that, you know, I, I risked everything to go out and do that.

**** – (): 00:15:15.22

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Wow.

**** – (): 00:15:23.35

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What did you do?

**** – (): 00:15:25.81

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): But that’s sort of how it’s been along.

**** – (): 00:15:26.19

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:15:28.97

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Like, I was lucky enough to get a review from someone at the Times. And then, of course, if you’re in the paper, people pay attention.

**** – (): 00:15:40.13

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And so they saw, they saw, right.

**** – (): 00:15:40.86

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, start with a few.

**** – (): 00:15:43.31

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And, you know, and you find a, right.

**** – (): 00:15:43.54

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You find a few patrons, a few supporters, they help you gather more. Yeah.

**** – (): 00:15:49.01

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That’s what you, you know, a few supporters. And I really, you know, I, I’m, you know, It’s not that I’m a big astrology person, but my sign is that I’m Capricorn, I’m a goat.

**** – (): 00:16:01.93

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh, really? um yeah

**** – (): 00:16:04.34

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And you know, they always portray Capricorn as someone who’s just climbing up the the hill. And it’s like that. That’s what I do. You know, I just take one step at a time, keep going, and I will get to the the top.

**** – (): 00:16:19.94

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): but Yeah.

**** – (): 00:16:21.48

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And you know, along the way, all these great things I’m going to meet and see and will happen. And I will take all of that in as I keep going up the hill. But it’s not, you know, we always talk about, you know, art, it’s not a race to get to any place, you know, it’s the journey.

**** – (): 00:16:39.46

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:16:41.49

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And that’s really how I think, you know, really enjoying every step of the way.

**** – (): 00:16:47.28

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Why do you think you paint? What is your, after all, how many years have you been an artist for now?

**** – (): 00:16:53.38

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): How many years?

**** – (): 00:16:53.60

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Let’s count that. Not many.

**** – (): 00:16:55.87

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Many years. I mean, I’m not, I won’t count junior high school even, but a few decades.

**** – (): 00:16:57.14

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): At least a few, few decades.

**** – (): 00:17:02.24

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Let’s say a few decades. Right.

**** – (): 00:17:03.66

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): A few decades.

**** – (): 00:17:04.06

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I mean, I, you know what? I really forget how many, like, oh my God, I look and think I’ve been painting since, you know, yeah.

**** – (): 00:17:14.44

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Well, let’s say seriously since I left um high school, like since 69. when I got out of high school. but And, you know, that’s a lot, you know, but I was painting all through high school also.

**** – (): 00:17:26.58

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): like Yeah.

**** – (): 00:17:30.23

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): But the point is, you know, I was picking up a brush and putting paint on a canvas since I was in middle school and thinking about the idea of, you know, painting and drawing and color all of that time.

**** – (): 00:17:38.84

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 00:17:44.52

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So that’s a long time and still, you know, it’s it’s very funny because still every time it feels

**** – (): 00:17:47.51

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Hey,

**** – (): 00:17:50.88

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): like the first time. I mean, it you know that kind of joy comes back to me.

**** – (): 00:17:53.00

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): you open.

**** – (): 00:17:56.17

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:17:56.24

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And that is what I’m so grateful for that I can still feel excited and joyful about. I wonder what’s going to happen.

**** – (): 00:18:07.63

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): and That’s the feeling I get. I wonder what, and I really should, at some point I should know, like well, if I put that color next to that color, this is going to happen. But there’s still that kind of mystery involved, which That’s what I love, you know, that’s what.

**** – (): 00:18:22.89

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): But after all these years of painting and decades painting um and of and let’s say if you’re also finding that joy. But you know sometimes we say, okay, as artists, when we’re painting painting something, we’re treating something, we’re telling our truth, our stories, and you know whatever we have to say.

**** – (): 00:18:38.89

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm hmm.

**** – (): 00:18:41.68

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Now I am looking forward to hearing this from you because I have only been painting for let’s say a decade.

**** – (): 00:18:47.17

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm hmm.

**** – (): 00:18:47.42

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): um Like seriously, not like I’ve always enjoyed creating and I think most of us as artists, it’s the child in us who’s um held us for before the profession.

**** – (): 00:18:58.06

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Wait.

**** – (): 00:19:00.64

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mhm.

**** – (): 00:19:01.05

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): But I want to hear from you after all of these years, you’ve told so many stories, shared so many of your own truth and what really what really pushes you out of that today brings you to your studio and even feel like, okay, you know, this sense of sharing more and creating more.

**** – (): 00:19:26.96

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Well, because a lot of my work is ah sort of semiautobiographical semi semi-autobiographical, and my take on you know how the world is and how a an adolescent might be reacting to it.

**** – (): 00:19:32.87

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): hi graphica

**** – (): 00:19:46.31

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So, of course, every day it’s changing. you know hopefully for the good, but it the thing is every day it’s changing. So every day there is something new to explore in terms of how would I represent that?

**** – (): 00:20:05.48

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Like visually, how would I represent that?

**** – (): 00:20:06.29

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Thank you.

**** – (): 00:20:08.78

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um In my own personal life, ah my child, um who was ah who who is now a transgender adult,

**** – (): 00:20:20.54

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know, there is a whole transition from one gender.

**** – (): 00:20:23.06

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:20:24.13

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So that, that has, you know, influenced sort of how I hold my figures. You know, my figures have always had a kind of gender ambiguity to them.

**** – (): 00:20:38.91

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And I’ve always wanted that in it where they can’t be classified or categorized. But now it’s a very It’s not just a theory or an an idea that I have, but an actual personal interaction with someone I love.

**** – (): 00:20:57.86

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So you know every day so as I say, every day there is something that is happening in the world or personal.

**** – (): 00:21:01.66

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): and first and

**** – (): 00:21:06.53

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh, yeah you’re fluttering.

**** – (): 00:21:06.98

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Can you not hear me?

**** – (): 00:21:16.12

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh, I can hear you. You’re just blurry.

**** – (): 00:21:17.86

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Can you hear me now?

**** – (): 00:21:23.99

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Yeah, I can hear you. It’s just your face is pixelated.

**** – (): 00:21:27.23

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): but

**** – (): 00:21:30.11

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No problem, this will work fine.

**** – (): 00:21:30.32

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Can you hear me?

**** – (): 00:21:33.47

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I can hear you well.

**** – (): 00:21:35.52

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh, you can hear me fine? Okay.

**** – (): 00:21:37.50

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): But yeah, I can hear you.

**** – (): 00:21:39.52

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh, good. Anyway, so that’s…

**** – (): 00:21:42.58

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Go ahead, Goed. Yeah.

**** – (): 00:21:44.88

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): basically why i get a why I get out of bed every day. and yeah i And as I said, it’s really about…

**** – (): 00:21:50.63

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yes. Out of all of these seconds, I want to ask you. Go i go ahead, Goed. I’m missing.

**** – (): 00:22:03.58

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said.

**** – (): 00:22:07.15

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I missed what you just said.

**** – (): 00:22:11.69

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I was saying, did you yeah i was you were trying to complete something.

**** – (): 00:22:22.06

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Can you not hear me?

**** – (): 00:22:23.30

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I was, yeah, I didn’t, what did you just say? Okay, that’s better.

**** – (): 00:22:28.85

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I was asking you a question, but you were doing something.

**** – (): 00:22:29.74

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Now I can see.

**** – (): 00:22:31.26

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): think You were completing. Okay, let me ask you. What do you think out of all of these years?

**** – (): 00:22:38.46

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What is the hardest part of being an artist? specifically for you.

**** – (): 00:22:41.85

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): ah oh Oh, that’s a very difficult question.

**** – (): 00:22:42.91

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What do you have this spot?

**** – (): 00:22:47.74

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): What is the hardest part? um Um, the hardest part I would say is, or, you know, when you say the hardest part, I say the most unenjoyable part. Okay. For me is the, the idea that, you know, once you put the work out, the,

**** – (): 00:23:20.19

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): that time between someone looking at it and it leaves your studio and someone’s looking at it and what happens to it. You know, it’s sort of like, you know, when your child goes off to school for the first time, you don’t know how, how their people are going to respond to them.

**** – (): 00:23:38.19

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Like if they’re going to embrace them and love them as much as you have loved them, having them at home, if you know what, that iffy, that, that part of iffy, like will they,

**** – (): 00:23:44.51

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:23:50.60

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Will they like it? you know Will they understand it? And that that I find the hardest part. you know There is another difficult part in terms of you know the and making the living part and finding a gallery part and you know all of those things. But those you know in a way, those are they’re not emotional.

**** – (): 00:24:15.44

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know The emotional part is if someone likes it is, for me, the hardest part. um And it’s not even if it sells.

**** – (): 00:24:26.19

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It’s just if they, you know, if they like, right.

**** – (): 00:24:28.70

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You just need to accept it. Like, you know?

**** – (): 00:24:30.94

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): If they and they like, if they understand it, right.

**** – (): 00:24:34.00

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): But also, don’t you think it could also be um sometimes when, you know as artists like you, I remember watching one of your videos and you you spoke about vulnerability and putting yourself.

**** – (): 00:24:34.52

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That’s it.

**** – (): 00:24:45.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And you know ah you also shared how um you owned your identity, your story, how you grew up, where you came from, and you know the whole story that we can definitely go into now.

**** – (): 00:24:54.37

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm hmm.

**** – (): 00:25:00.54

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): ah And when we put ourselves, I remember, so when my mom passed away, I did a series on her first step anniversary.

**** – (): 00:25:09.33

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm hmm.

**** – (): 00:25:09.96

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And I decided to show it ah in the same city, in the small town that, you know, I’ve but i’ve been born in. And, you know, I had this um Because in in the city that I live, it’s it’s a small city. It’s not an art center. It’s like, you know, it’s not so people are not very accustomed to what art is and you know, so I had that kind of I knew that is one of the that that was one of those things.

**** – (): 00:25:37.10

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And i did it did bother me at some point. i was I was conscious that how it would be taken, because I wasn’t showing to an audience who was nuanced in the sense of who had you know context.

**** – (): 00:25:47.57

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And they were art goers and things like that. But I wanted to show that work just where it was and where my mom has been. So i I was not afraid of the judgment, but I was afraid in the sense of how personal it was to me.

**** – (): 00:26:03.14

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm-hmm wait Wait

**** – (): 00:26:03.60

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): It took me a really time I had made that work for a very long time, but then I just didn’t have the courage to show it because their judgment of whatever they think about, it’s just not the art to me.

**** – (): 00:26:10.40

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Wait

**** – (): 00:26:14.09

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): It’s just, it’s processing my feelings.

**** – (): 00:26:14.64

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Wait

**** – (): 00:26:16.42

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And when we put ourselves in the art and then put the out to the world, and when the world makes a judgment about you are accepted or not, it’s not the art.

**** – (): 00:26:17.84

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Wait Wait

**** – (): 00:26:26.72

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): It’s our realities who we’ve been. Can you share your experience with that?

**** – (): 00:26:29.40

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): yeah like Yes, yes, that’s definite. Well, you said it exactly perfectly right and exactly what the feeling is. yeah it’s And, you know, people, even though it is a painting and it’s over there, and that but you you exactly as you said, you feel as if it’s you.

**** – (): 00:26:50.01

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It’s it’s your person, it’s your whole, it’s your being, it’s your soul.

**** – (): 00:26:50.78

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:26:54.15

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You know, not to be corny, but it it is your soul that you just put out and it’s, it’s naked, you know?

**** – (): 00:27:00.73

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You know.

**** – (): 00:27:00.63

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And it’s just, so you feel so vulnerable. um And, you know, would I have it any other way? Would I do work that was not, that did not make me feel vulnerable?

**** – (): 00:27:12.96

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That we did not show that part? No. I wouldn’t. you know that That’s not what I would want to do, but that’s the hardest part. That’s the scariest part.

**** – (): 00:27:23.92

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): nice ah um I lost her COVID second wave 2019.

**** – (): 00:27:24.91

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That’s the scariest part. yeah It’s funny because you know we’re talking about your your mom. when did she When did you lose your mom?

**** – (): 00:27:38.29

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): two thousand and nineteen ah yeah i mean my mom also she was ninety nine years old

**** – (): 00:27:43.07

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh my goodness.

**** – (): 00:27:45.18

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): what which is, you know, which is great that I had her all the those years. But, um you know, it’s funny because it, well, it’s not funny, but, you know, when you’re used to having your mother for so long, yeah, you know, it’s just sort of like, oh, that you would say things to her that you don’t say to other people.

**** – (): 00:28:00.56

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): your own growing up yours also.

**** – (): 00:28:09.02

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And, you know, that loss is like, oh, you know, we’re,

**** – (): 00:28:09.52

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): people

**** – (): 00:28:14.46

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): who, even though, you know, I have a cousin who I’m really close to and I have, you know, a very supportive husband and friend, there is just that, that one law.

**** – (): 00:28:24.45

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): like no and

**** – (): 00:28:25.70

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Yeah, that, you know, and that also, you know, that comes into the work in a way that you don’t, you don’t even know how it comes in.

**** – (): 00:28:36.18

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You know, you don’t know how it comes in.

**** – (): 00:28:36.44

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah but everything comes in how do you how do you feel like you approach an idea ah what is your process like in the sense of ah when you’re when you’re starting a new series is like is do you have a method or it’s very intuitive or like you know how

**** – (): 00:28:38.62

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It comes in. Yeah, it does come in. And that, so. You know, i i completely understand that that

**** – (): 00:29:02.45

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Like, you know, I want to break this down for, let’s say people are looking, there are lots of people who look look up to you. Now, a lot of times we, because being a creative does not come with a rule book.

**** – (): 00:29:11.37

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I completely understand that.

**** – (): 00:29:12.83

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): We don’t even know how, I don’t think any of us knows how it works. We just have our own rules and like, it’s our own.

**** – (): 00:29:18.67

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Right, we have

**** – (): 00:29:20.40

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah. It’s everything like that. But we look up to each other and we’ll feel like, oh my God, how we learn from each other. So if I were to ask you to break your process more tactically in the sense of from an idea, how an idea strikes to how do you approach that? um If that is something worth pursuing for you, or you want to make something, or do you make sketches or like, how do you those thoughts or little arcs turn into whole series and like whole movements and ideas and stories like this?

**** – (): 00:29:51.41

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um Yeah, that’s really, you know, I wonder how I start too. I don’t, I usually begin with, I have ah a color that I’m mixing, so I’ll mix, like go recently pink has been a color that I’m mixing it up, so I’ll mix

**** – (): 00:30:11.24

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Your favor.

**** – (): 00:30:15.48

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): different varieties of pink, a lot of it.

**** – (): 00:30:16.10

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 00:30:18.55

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And I’ll have like three big canvases. And I will paint the whole canvases, each one with just a ah ground color of this pink on it.

**** – (): 00:30:22.81

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): okay

**** – (): 00:30:29.81

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And I’ll rub it.

**** – (): 00:30:30.59

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): ah

**** – (): 00:30:30.57

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Some um will be very muted kind of pink, you know just a thin coat of it. Some will be a little bit heavier. Anyway, so there’ll be four different pinks and varying sizes of canvases.

**** – (): 00:30:45.48

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And that’s where I start.

**** – (): 00:30:46.02

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): okay

**** – (): 00:30:47.53

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And, you know, I think about sort of why is this color, what does this color mean to me? um And, you know, recently, because of our whole political thing, for me, its it’s meaning power, you know, like female power, that’s how I see it, is this pink, pink of a pop, and also, you know, oh, it’s, beg your pardon?

**** – (): 00:31:06.20

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 00:31:09.82

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Do you all see the lights off? while you Once you’re starting out, do you also write often? Do you write your thoughts? like Is there also writing from a lot of it?

**** – (): 00:31:19.82

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh, no, no, don’t write any, you know, that, that would be very helpful if I wrote something about it, because, uh, yeah, that, that would be really good because then, you know, there’d be a chain of thought that was linear.

**** – (): 00:31:27.52

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): the ah I don’t think my heads are actually in here.

**** – (): 00:31:36.01

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): No, I, I don’t, and I thought, and so I, but I’m thinking, you know, what this, this color means.

**** – (): 00:31:47.36

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And then depending on the, the size of the canvas, I’ll think about the composition and what I want my figures to be doing in it. Do I want them to be, you know, breaking out of this contained ah area or do I want inside and, can and you know, it really, the the the environment to be more than… So then I’ll think that. I’ll think, oh, I think I want it to be

**** – (): 00:32:18.33

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And then I will um do a series of lines on the on the canvas, just in terms of what kind of figures, what the movement I want the figures to be in. And that is really, it’s very rough, just with you know paint. Sometimes I’ll use ah a paint stick, but usually just with a brush. And and from those lines, I make a figure.

**** – (): 00:32:45.45

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): so theyre yeah And it’s really about the movement and you know how the body is twisting and turning. you know i’ll you know Recently, I had this i idea of how we’re all super connected in so many ways. um And it’s just sort of how that connection turns into something else.

**** – (): 00:33:08.32

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know almost how you know when we’re touching each other, we are transforming you know one part of our body into their body. Anyway, so i have this i I have this group of figures that are twisted and turning within each other.

**** – (): 00:33:18.98

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Party.

**** – (): 00:33:26.31

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And so I will just you know sketch, this is the shape, yeah.

**** – (): 00:33:29.49

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Everything is connected.

**** – (): 00:33:31.35

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And then it takes on more life as I develop the figure into more more reality, sort of reality.

**** – (): 00:33:40.04

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): How do you become more fearless in your work? I love like you know how your work is, how do we become more fearless in our work?

**** – (): 00:33:44.29

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): How do I, what?

**** – (): 00:33:47.99

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): like

**** – (): 00:33:48.41

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): How do we become more fearless? You know what?

**** – (): 00:33:50.81

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): you know

**** – (): 00:33:50.90

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Because we’re doing something crazy like painting. Like, that’s already a fearless act. It’s such a, you know, does any, you know, it’s sort of, you know, I always think this is, people have been painting forever and ever and ever.

**** – (): 00:34:04.68

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And yet, does it, you know, is it really, does it help anybody? But yes, it does. It does help people because it really, it’s so important in terms of culture that that you know all people have a kind of have images that they can relate to that we’re writing down many different kinds of story not just one kind of story so it’s really it is important but and so you must be fearless because if you’re doing something that is so I don’t know like again like nobody wants you to be doing it you know if if the higher powers if control people they would say

**** – (): 00:34:39.12

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:34:44.13

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): No, stop. You know, they would they would do away with art, right? I mean, so many people, so many, unfortunately, places have with all sorts of, you know, with literature, with dance, with with music, with, you know, even with languages, you know, people don’t want certain languages, you know, they don’t want images ah to be seen.

**** – (): 00:34:48.77

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:34:56.59

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah. Yeah. yeah

**** – (): 00:35:04.95

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So yeah it is, you know, it is an act of freedom to put down images you know, any kind of painting that you believe in, you know, and that’s why you you have to continue to do it, you know, despite everything.

**** – (): 00:35:26.88

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): and

**** – (): 00:35:26.77

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It’s really, it it will live on, hopefully, and maybe, you know, I mean, who knows.

**** – (): 00:35:34.86

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): After all these years of painting, creating, living the life, um creative life, what is your heart desire now? what What’s that? We all have these wishes like, you know I want to do this. like I think once we reach, you know once we start um experiencing more years of life, we start to tick off a lot of things. But also understand, oh my god, when I thought this would matter, it’s actually like, you know I think a bigger shift ah has happened while you know you move around and you move. And a lot of things change.

**** – (): 00:36:13.36

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): um with experiences and I think has experienced life like let’s say for me um when I lost my mom I think I have had so many many many more births in these just few years like a lot of things that I thought mattered before ah Now, it’s just it’s just completely different.

**** – (): 00:36:34.17

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And um I think I’ve ah’ve seen like as we grow, and it’s not, I’m saying, just in the sense of years of age, but as of experiences, those things start to redefine us.

**** – (): 00:36:38.33

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm hmm.

**** – (): 00:36:46.70

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What at this point, weighing all of those experiences that you’ve had, truly, you feel like, oh, I’m looking forward for this.

**** – (): 00:36:57.11

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I want more of that, or I want to do that.

**** – (): 00:37:00.02

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mmm. No, that’s it. That’s good. I’ve you know, I I was really Well, one thing that I do is, you know something will happen and then people will say ah Oh, are you really excited about that?

**** – (): 00:37:14.17

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And I’ll say oh Yes, that’s nice. And you know, we’ll see how it oh, but aren’t you getting so excited? And I’ll say no I don’t get excited until I’m in the actual thing that you know

**** – (): 00:37:27.69

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh, I see.

**** – (): 00:37:28.31

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I had this show at um a museum in France, and they were like, oh, aren’t you excited? And I was like, well, it’ll be nice. I don’t know who’s going to come. I don’t know people in the in the Brittany area. i don yeah Who knows what will happen? But the ability to not anticipate what it’s going to be has made me enjoy every moment of whatever the thing is that’s happening. So in terms of what do I want next to happen, I can’t, the you know, like that was that was incredible. That was wonderful. And I was like so, so happy and surprised by it. That’s what I, I i’d like i like being surprised. I’m very happy with the the galleries that represent me.

**** – (): 00:38:19.37

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And you know things that they do for me is exciting. it If I was would say, what do I want the future to be? I want to be able to appreciate every little thing that happens. That’s a surprise for me. you know And to to truly appreciate it. that i don’t you know when i I’d love to be in the Whitney Biennial.

**** – (): 00:38:49.21

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I’d love to be in the Venice Biennial. I’d love to, you know, all I have no control of that really. all i I have only, as I was in Juneau, I have control over one thing and that’s the painting in front of me, the canvas that I’m about.

**** – (): 00:39:07.31

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I love that. I love that center.

**** – (): 00:39:09.72

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Right? That’s what, so, you know, and what happens, you know, I’m very,

**** – (): 00:39:11.55

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I know that.

**** – (): 00:39:18.67

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I have been very fortunate, I think, that I’ve been able to paint all this all these years. and it’s still And I love it still so much. you know that you know People have, oh, I don’t like that.

**** – (): 00:39:31.01

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): or yeah Have I gotten praise all the time?

**** – (): 00:39:32.76

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah

**** – (): 00:39:33.91

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): No. But I keep going.

**** – (): 00:39:37.12

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I love you.

**** – (): 00:39:37.89

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So I think that yeah and that’s what I tell you know My students, I had told them, don’t worry about the outside world so much.

**** – (): 00:39:46.44

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, looking inside.

**** – (): 00:39:48.61

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Because you’ll always have people that don’t like what you do for whatever reason, you know which really has nothing to do with why you’re doing it.

**** – (): 00:39:56.92

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You.

**** – (): 00:39:57.99

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So you must continue to you know believe in yourself and what why you’re producing work and why you want to work.

**** – (): 00:39:58.46

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:40:06.92

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): and just and You know, the whole, like the the baseball paint and they will find you and then they will love you.

**** – (): 00:40:17.63

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Yeah. I don’t know. that That’s sort of what I think is the case. And and of course there there are many, many ways of doing, of becoming, of being a successful artist, right?

**** – (): 00:40:23.84

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): and Absolutely.

**** – (): 00:40:29.07

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): This is my one little way of doing it.

**** – (): 00:40:32.58

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): We are feeling yours only.

**** – (): 00:40:34.62

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That feels right to me. you know that I can live with and be happy with.

**** – (): 00:40:36.69

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:40:39.66

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And you know and you know I had a family also that was very important to me.

**** – (): 00:40:44.42

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:40:46.48

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know I didn’t not have children because I wanted i thought it would interfere with the career.

**** – (): 00:40:53.39

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:40:54.49

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That was a really important part of what I wanted in my life.

**** – (): 00:40:56.17

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Were you ever thinking like that?

**** – (): 00:40:58.49

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Beg your pardon?

**** – (): 00:40:59.86

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): did you Did you ever think like a lot of people, ah even today, they say like, you know, um specifically for women, I think it’s, they feel, yeah, the if they have children, or if they start a family, um it would take away the time

**** – (): 00:41:06.76

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Yeah, mostly for women, yeah they think that.

**** – (): 00:41:19.17

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): the attention and they will have to compromise on the career.

**** – (): 00:41:22.81

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Right.

**** – (): 00:41:22.98

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Did you ever think that way?

**** – (): 00:41:24.54

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): No, I never thought that way because, you know, it was it was something that added to my creativity. that added to my capacity to to love something even more.

**** – (): 00:41:36.84

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): yeah you Why would I deny myself more? you know and I know. I never thought that way. And true, it did.

**** – (): 00:41:48.89

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know Raising kids takes time. And it does take time away from the studio.

**** – (): 00:41:52.92

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:41:54.11

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): But you know I found that when I was in the studio, I was much more focused because I only had this amount of time. to to do what I did. So I i never, ever regretted having done that.

**** – (): 00:42:08.87

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I think being a mother could also be more vulnerable, like more daring sometimes, like you also said, like you your experience as a mother has also impacted your story.

**** – (): 00:42:17.80

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Right.

**** – (): 00:42:19.19

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): It’s added an experience of your life and

**** – (): 00:42:22.27

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Yes.

**** – (): 00:42:22.70

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): you’re processing that experience and sharing it further with the world.

**** – (): 00:42:28.07

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Right. Correct. you know That’s exactly And, you know, has it all been, oh, Rosie, no, it’s not not at all.

**** – (): 00:42:36.26

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Absolutely not.

**** – (): 00:42:37.85

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): But, you know, you know, I love every minute of it, maybe not when it’s exactly happening, but it’s still, you know, it’s a part of who you are and it’s a part of my story.

**** – (): 00:42:52.77

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Let me ask one question actually.

**** – (): 00:42:54.48

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Mm hmm.

**** – (): 00:42:56.19

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Out of all these years that you’ve been an artist, okay, been an artist, been a woman, a mother, a wife, I think as women we play so many important roles.

**** – (): 00:43:08.35

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What do you think um for you as an artist also, keeping that in the center and you playing other roles? what were the most difficult years all of these years that if you were to look back today and feel like these few years or whatever these stages of life as an artist were the most difficult for me.

**** – (): 00:43:29.07

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um the most difficult as an artist or as a person to juggle with the whole thing.

**** – (): 00:43:33.52

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, as an artist are you trying to juggle like, you know, yeah.

**** – (): 00:43:38.15

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um I guess the most difficult ah times were probably when um the most, I’m trying to think what were the most, I would say the most difficult times emotionally for me was when I was trying to have children and still be an artist.

**** – (): 00:44:03.21

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So I went through um many miscarriages. So it was, so that became difficult because one, I could not, um I wanted to get involved, I wanted to teach more in this university, but I couldn’t because I was really trying to to get pregnant and I couldn’t and I kept

**** – (): 00:44:07.70

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh my goodness.

**** – (): 00:44:26.06

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): having miss So that meant I could not be around any certain chemicals and it was, you know, it was stressful and emotionally stressful. So I didn’t have the capacity to to give to a student when I was feeling so depleted.

**** – (): 00:44:40.14

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Hmm.

**** – (): 00:44:41.56

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um So that was, I would say that was the most depressing time, depressing, but difficult. And then it was also, it was hard to work because I, yeah to do my painting,

**** – (): 00:44:55.73

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): because um I was also feeling very um just sad, you know. So there was nothing, i I was still painting and trying to work, but I would say that was the most difficult because nothing was coming, nothing, the thing that I wanted most at that moment was to have a child. And I, you know, it was just like,

**** – (): 00:45:24.07

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know, tragedy after tragedy after tragedy in doing that. So that that was difficult. um In terms of my career, I think, um you know, when, when i let’s say I wanted ah to be in a specific show and I didn’t get into that show and felt that i it was a total rejection of everything that i who who I was and the work and everything.

**** – (): 00:45:57.78

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): so that was But you know looking back, I can’t even say that that was the that that was a crucial show for me. Looking now, the moment, it was devastating.

**** – (): 00:46:07.16

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No. In hindsight, no. Yeah, it was good.

**** – (): 00:46:11.99

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It was devastating.

**** – (): 00:46:12.32

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:46:12.83

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): But at the moment you know now, that was it wasn’t.

**** – (): 00:46:16.14

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No. Yeah.

**** – (): 00:46:18.34

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): so you know i think But you’re right, you know it is about juggling. And like, you know, you have your career, you have your family, you have all these things and you’re moving them around.

**** – (): 00:46:23.12

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah

**** – (): 00:46:29.03

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): But, you know, that kind of juggling, it keeps you moving. yeah It keeps you alert, right?

**** – (): 00:46:34.25

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): but Yeah.

**** – (): 00:46:35.79

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It keeps you really alert and like, oh, got to catch that one. Whoops, that was yeah it may it. I think it brings a kind of, you know, an activity and vital

**** – (): 00:46:49.83

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah

**** – (): 00:46:50.38

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): this to your to your life to like constantly go like you’re for me and yeah i’m not on edge i’m just sort of oh let’s what’s what’s going to happen next and in watching you know my children grow and who who are they going to become like you you just don’t know you know that whole process of yeah but it’s life is a process and you know and i enjoy and i enjoy the whole process that’s why i think

**** – (): 00:46:55.69

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:47:09.67

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): you You wait for it to tell, like, you know, like, like a process, creative process. Yeah.

**** – (): 00:47:20.32

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know, in terms of, ah you know, people will say, oh, what’s your favorite painting? The painting that I’m working on at the moment is always my favorite because it’s in process and I don’t know what’s going to happen.

**** – (): 00:47:28.81

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): eighteen

**** – (): 00:47:31.89

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You know, like, oh, what, what will it become? You know, what will it, so that’s, you know, sure.

**** – (): 00:47:36.81

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah

**** – (): 00:47:41.17

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): if like Okay, last question I promise.

**** – (): 00:47:43.59

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh, okay. No, no, no. I enjoy talking. You’re so easy to talk to.

**** – (): 00:47:50.02

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh, thank you. My last question would be Now where you are, I think it’s it has something to do that we were just speaking to. Now where you are, like you said, in that moment, um sometimes we feel like, you know specifically, you know i want to I’ll elaborate on this a little bit.

**** – (): 00:48:14.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): As women, we were always put into these frames in stereotypes. Let’s say I’m 32 years old, not married, don’t have children.

**** – (): 00:48:20.25

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And.

**** – (): 00:48:24.59

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): um i am I’m OK with where I am professionally, but could I do better? Do I want better? Yeah, for my artist self, definitely. But also, um ever since my mom, I feel like my problem I had to shift gears, and like I had to give myself so much more time. and you know But I also i constantly start feeling this fear. OK.

**** – (): 00:48:49.67

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): If I don’t have children now, will I like, you know, um am I missing a dream? Will this not happen for me? Or if I don’t become if I don’t focus or don’t pick up myself as an artist today, I don’t know if it’ll ever happen. Or am I being like, you know, like you say, you’d like you just said, like sometimes in that moment, we feel like if it if it’s going to happen now,

**** – (): 00:49:13.13

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): it’s not never going to happen or if it didn’t happen now it’s like it’s going to change my life and everything or everything I’ve worked towards what is your room looking back at those moments in your younger self who was like in these moments and people like me who are in different stages of life where we feel okay you know uh if i didn’t get if i’m not getting enough attention if my show’s not working i’m not getting exhibitions i’m not selling i mean today’s economy a lot of us are struggling a lot of artists are actually

**** – (): 00:49:48.51

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): um What is your advice from your experience? ah How battle these, you know, these troubles and what would you say?

**** – (): 00:50:00.34

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): oh Well, you know it’s funny because um I didn’t have my first child until I was 39. so

**** – (): 00:50:09.78

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh, wow.

**** – (): 00:50:11.24

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know um so that’s that’s that’s good and it was It’s considered a geriatric pregnancy at 39.

**** – (): 00:50:20.80

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 00:50:21.55

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Anyway, the the point is you know, looking back when I was, you know, I wasn’t married until I was 36, I think, you know, so 32, you know, I get the feeling and I, you know, like, what, because I did, I did want to be married and have a family.

**** – (): 00:50:32.62

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): okay Okay.

**** – (): 00:50:37.27

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:50:44.19

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That was something I want. Of course, I wanted my career to progress also.

**** – (): 00:50:48.32

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah

**** – (): 00:50:48.76

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I wanted all of it.

**** – (): 00:50:49.27

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): But did you didn’t marry because you had a career or it was just something?

**** – (): 00:50:50.37

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And I thought, beg your pardon?

**** – (): 00:50:54.62

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Did you didn’t marry by the time you married because you were focused on your career or just because it didn’t happen at that point?

**** – (): 00:51:02.38

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Um, no, I was focused on, I mean, I thought I was focused on it, all of it at the same time, you know, meeting somebody, ah getting married, uh, and the career and you know I was focused.

**** – (): 00:51:18.59

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It was all jumbled up in the pot. And I was, you know, I was just taking a bite out of

**** – (): 00:51:23.43

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): trying to swim through it.

**** – (): 00:51:24.62

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): All of it. Yeah. Right. It was a ah big stew. I want it all. And I mean, you know, let’s see what sticks. You know, I was basically, I was doing it.

**** – (): 00:51:32.47

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, that’s how life is.

**** – (): 00:51:34.63

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I was doing it. I was, you know, I wanted all of it and it, and there didn’t seem to be, um, you know, there wasn’t a well, a clear way of getting any of it, you know,

**** – (): 00:51:51.37

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And that’s why I say it was a big, I just threw it all in the pot and like, let’s see what, what I pull out today. Okay. That might work. Okay. That, okay. That person will work that, you know, or that, that opportunity will work, but o that was, it was just a random, um, ah random choice of things that, that happened, that happened.

**** – (): 00:51:59.65

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:52:12.53

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I don’t, I think there are some people who, go about it very systematically and can plan it and and can do it. But you know i I wasn’t one of those. And I and i think that in the end, it truly it is ah there were people in my life that on paper looked, wow, that’s that’s the perfect person. that That would go nicely with your plan. And and it was like the the um absolute opposite

**** – (): 00:52:49.03

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): person is not the absolute opposite, but you know that was not the correct person.

**** – (): 00:52:55.49

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay, right, yeah.

**** – (): 00:52:56.03

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And you know the correct gallery, you know there isn’t there isn’t one or that you know the the the person that you should meet who will then help you in your career.

**** – (): 00:53:09.19

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): you know I met ah people and they didn’t do anything, and yet it’s a random person um that happened to see my work at an open studio that i I found out much later, who was the most helpful in terms of securing a grant for me.

**** – (): 00:53:30.41

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Someone, I didn’t know them, they happened to come in, they recommended me, and the only reason I found out that they had done that was years, years, maybe 12 years afterwards, I happened to run into them and they and they said, oh

**** – (): 00:53:30.99

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): oh Wow.

**** – (): 00:53:47.44

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): it’s you know is it It was past the the time when they could speak, and they said, I i was the person that did that. yeah So you know the thing is, i mean what I would say is to be kind to every person you meet, because you never know if that person is going to be the person that will give you the most kindness back in ways that you don’t know.

**** – (): 00:54:12.60

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): debt you know to follow i met um Romeo Bearden a year before, I guess it was before I’d gone to graduate school. and i my friend note knew him and I went to his studio and I showed him my work and he went through it and I i really thought this was after right after college I met him and I thought he’s going to be the one that tells me exactly what to do and how to get in on the art business. ya you know he’s goingnna and he you know He liked the work and then at the end of

**** – (): 00:54:49.18

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): this, you know, 45 minute looking at my working conversation, he said, follow your heart. And I was like, OK, follow my heart. OK, what else? OK, you know what?

**** – (): 00:54:59.73

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And who should I meet and where should I wait? Wait a minute.

**** – (): 00:55:03.76

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): i

**** – (): 00:55:03.94

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I think there are some more. And he said he, you know, I didn’t say that to him back. I just and and and he said.

**** – (): 00:55:15.07

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): um Follow your heart.

**** – (): 00:55:20.01

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): How simple.

**** – (): 00:55:21.70

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That was it. And you know I left thinking, what the, what, what was that?

**** – (): 00:55:24.77

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Wow. yeah

**** – (): 00:55:29.53

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): What was that? And I did not understand that until 20 years after when I realized that that’s it.

**** – (): 00:55:41.81

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And that’s what I had been doing. you know been doing there isn’t There isn’t a magic person to introduce you to. There isn’t a magic. you know grant to get there’s nothing it’s all you know it’s you and it’s it’s that hard and it’s that so you know in terms of right you know you’re at a stage where all all things are possible though for you right now right I mean all things I mean you’re so fresh and young and beautiful and you know and talented and you’re doing stuff you know all of those things will happen

**** – (): 00:56:07.59

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:56:17.11

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Hello.

**** – (): 00:56:17.50

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): oh There’s someone one at my door. I don’t know who they are.

**** – (): 00:56:20.78

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You want to go back in?

**** – (): 00:56:22.24

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): ah let me Let me just go check for one second.

**** – (): 00:56:25.39

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:56:25.38

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I’m sorry.

**** – (): 00:56:34.79

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Hello?

**** – (): 00:56:45.95

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): ah Okay. i

**** – (): 00:56:49.78

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I have no idea who that was, but they, I thought maybe they left something at the door, but they didn’t leave a sign. So I don’t know.

**** – (): 00:56:57.06

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No problem.

**** – (): 00:56:57.98

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 00:56:58.70

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I love those advices. I think you, I follow your heart.

**** – (): 00:57:00.73

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): You know, that’s it.

**** – (): 00:57:03.64

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I think we’re going to write that in bold.

**** – (): 00:57:06.73

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): yeah You know, I mean, it was a very, yeah it’s so simplistic and yet it’s so that’s it because you know what you, once you know, when you know that you’re following what you believe in truly in,

**** – (): 00:57:20.15

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): who you are and the soul of yourself, it’s like, okay, that’s me. You feel good, you know?

**** – (): 00:57:28.29

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah let

**** – (): 00:57:28.14

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Like whatever happens, happens. What happens?

**** – (): 00:57:31.59

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): it go believe in it that’s it yeah

**** – (): 00:57:32.70

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Right? Yeah. ah I mean, I’m telling you at the time I was it’s like, really? That’s it? But that’s it? Yeah.

**** – (): 00:57:43.71

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): That’s it. That’s it. And the funny thing is, you know, years later, I was in the I’m represented by June Kelly, who was a very good friend of his and who represented him.

**** – (): 00:57:55.56

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And yeah so it’s like, I’m with, you know, would I have known that at that moment? Or did he say?

**** – (): 00:58:02.38

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): nice

**** – (): 00:58:03.69

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And, you know, everything that happened before, you know, from that time to I got into the gallery was really crucial to my the development of my work and of me as a person, you know, because It’s the person that creates the word, you know?

**** – (): 00:58:21.01

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): yeah Yeah, absolutely. My goodness, this was such a good chat, Filomena.

**** – (): 00:58:24.96

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Good.

**** – (): 00:58:27.33

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Thank you so much.

**** – (): 00:58:27.36

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh. Oh.

**** – (): 00:58:29.11

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): i

**** – (): 00:58:29.72

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Thank you.

**** – (): 00:58:30.28

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I could talk for a few more hours.

**** – (): 00:58:32.26

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I know. Let’s meet again.

**** – (): 00:58:34.10

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): We’ve spoken for an hour already. For everyone who’s tuned in so far, umm I mean, thank you so much.

**** – (): 00:58:37.28

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 00:58:41.81

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Thank you so much for sharing your heart.

**** – (): 00:58:43.84

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Thank you. Thank you. And i if you if you’re here, please drop by. All right.

**** – (): 00:58:50.14

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I will absolutely, I’m coming this year and I will definitely, I’d love to meet you.

**** – (): 00:58:51.00

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Take a visit.

**** – (): 00:58:55.04

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh, really? Oh, great. Great. Good. OK. Well, you know where I am.

**** – (): 00:59:00.40

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yes, I have your number. I have no and keep keeping out keeping you.

**** – (): 00:59:01.80

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): OK.

**** – (): 00:59:04.52

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh,

**** – (): 00:59:06.99

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): pinging you back again.

**** – (): 00:59:08.27

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): oh great. Thank you so much.

**** – (): 00:59:09.15

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): ah one one motive yes But Yes, for everyone who’s listening, how is there anything how we can follow you?

**** – (): 00:59:10.64

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh. Oh, sure.

**** – (): 00:59:18.86

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): How can I, listeners, find you, support you, follow you? There’s a project that you want to share with us.

**** – (): 00:59:26.83

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Um, well, one, let’s see, uh, I do have a show that’s, uh, up now.

**** – (): 00:59:27.04

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): the

**** – (): 00:59:33.35

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): It’s a group show in San Francisco at the Jenkins Johnson Gallery, if anybody’s out in California. And it’s in a, it’s a group show called, um, oh what’s the name?

**** – (): 00:59:46.08

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh no, this is really bad, but I can’t remember this. Anyway, uh, it, it’s, you can add the details.

**** – (): 00:59:50.40

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I will add the details, we will look in and we will. will

**** – (): 00:59:53.12

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Yeah. And I’m going to be, uh, In Samio’s gallery in Paris in a group show also opening August 31st through September through I think it’s through October The middle of October so those two things are are happening um And you can follow me on my Instagram, which is Philomona and then the number eight at the end of it because apparently there are seven other Philharmonas in the world.

**** – (): 01:00:23.80

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): I didn’t realize that, but anyway, there are seven other Philharmonas.

**** – (): 01:00:26.01

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): planning i couldn’t believe

**** – (): 01:00:26.94

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So that’s the, and that’s it.

**** – (): 01:00:27.73

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – ():

**** – (): 01:00:30.27

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): And that the, I was pleased to be a juror for the art exhibit that’s opening at the Montclair Art Museum, but in September.

**** – (): 01:00:43.06

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So anyway, so that’s that’s about all.

**** – (): 01:00:44.94

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Thank you so much. I will make sure I have everything.

**** – (): 01:00:47.62

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Thank you.

**** – (): 01:00:49.60

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I really appreciate this.

**** – (): 01:00:49.51

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Oh. Thank you so much. It was such a pleasure talking to you.

**** – (): 01:00:52.22

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): a good

**** – (): 01:00:53.74

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): So enjoyable, really.

**** – (): 01:00:55.82

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): am

**** – (): 01:00:56.93

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Thank you. Thank you.

**** – (): 01:00:57.89

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You don’t have to go.

**** – (): 01:00:58.34

**** – (): Philemona

**** – (): Bye-bye. Bye. Bye-bye.

.

About the Guest(s):

Philemona Williamson is a distinguished painter known for her richly evocative and symbolically complex works. With a career spanning several decades, Philemona’s art often centres around themes of adolescence, gender ambiguity, and personal narrative. Her paintings have garnered critical acclaim and have been showcased in numerous prestigious galleries and museums across the globe. Philemona’s dedication to her craft and her ability to intertwine personal experience with universal themes set her apart in the contemporary art world.

Episode Summary:

In this compelling episode, host Charuka Arora engages in an insightful conversation with renowned painter Philemona Williamson. The dialogue delves into Philemona’s artistic journey, her influences, and the varied experiences that have shaped her unique perspective. Philemona provides thought-provoking insights into the ties between life experiences and creative endeavours as they navigate through the intricacies of art and personal expression.

Throughout the episode, key themes, such as the challenges of integrating technology into traditional art forms, the emotional vulnerability inherent in exhibiting personal work, and the evolving nature of artistic expression, are explored. Philemona candidly shares her approach to art-making, her reflections on career development, and the importance of staying true to one’s vision. Aspiring artists and seasoned creators alike will find immense value in Philemona’s reflections on her path in the art world.

Key Takeaways:

practices and her preference for the sensory experiences of physical art-making.

Artistic Vulnerability: The emotional challenges and vulnerability associated with sharing deeply personal work with the public are a central theme.

Personal Influence: Philemona’s experiences, including her family dynamics and individual life transitions, significantly influence her artistic expression.

Career Development: She shares her path from showing in cooperative galleries to attaining museum exhibitions, highlighting the importance of persistence and taking calculated risks.

Cultural Impact: The role of art in reflecting and shaping cultural narratives, particularly through diverse and personal storytelling, is emphasized.

Notable Quotes:

I enjoy the messiness of it. I enjoy the, you know, the smell of oil paint, the, oh my god, it’s all over my hands.”

“That’s the scariest part. It’s your soul that you just put out, and it’s naked… you feel so vulnerable.”

“You must be fearless because if you’re doing something that is so… nobody wants you to be doing it.”

“I lost my mom in 2019… you know, I had this show at a museum in France, and they were like, oh, aren’t you excited? And I was like, well, it’ll be nice.”

“Follow your heart. It was a very simplistic piece of advice, but that’s it.”

Charuka Arora is the founder of the Arts to Hearts Project and Host of the Arts to Hearts Podcast. She is also an acclaimed Indian artist known for her contemporary embellished paintings. Her unique blend of gouache, collage, embroidery, painting, and drawing explores the intersection of art, culture, heritage, and womanhood. Through her work, she tells stories of female strength and encapsulates them in pieces that can be treasured for generations.

Charuka’s work draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, recognizing women as vessels of Shakti, the cosmic energy. She beautifully portrays powerful goddesses like Durga Maa riding a tiger or lion, symbolizing their unlimited power to protect virtue and combat evil.

Through her art, Charuka invites us into the world of women, showcasing their beauty, strength, and resilience. Her creations not only exhibit exceptional talent but also serve as an inspiration and a symbol of hope for those challenging societal norms.

Arts to Hearts Podcast is a show delving into the lives and passions of renowned artists. From running creative businesses and studio art practices to cultivating a successful mindset, Charuka Arora engages in heartfelt conversations with her guests. Experience your personal happy hour with your favorite artists right in your studio.

Through candid discussions, Charuka and her guests reveal the joys and challenges of a vibrant creative life, both within and beyond our studios. Get ready to be inspired and uplifted as you tune in.