Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nevena Bentz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Nevena, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
How do you keep your creativity alive?
Creativity is a way of life for me. It is such a part of me that I never think of it as something to work on or keep alive. It truly is who I am and the only challenge is finding the tools and skills to express my creative impulses. These are triggered by experiencing the world with curiosity and an infinite appreciation for beauty. I practice creativity as I walk, talk, cook, drive, garden, dress, decorate, plan vacations, and make financial or other serious decisions. I am never satisfied with the most obvious answer and continuously search for alternative and better ways to approach a particular project or problem. Life’s struggles, necessities, and constraints have taught me creativity as a survival skill.
Creativity comes from stimulating the mind with life experiences and by being awake with all of one’s senses. It requires taking risks by venturing along roads less traveled. To stay creative, one must retain a child-like approach to life and learn from experience and observation without the need to label and intellectualize what is being observed. Creativity is alive when our mind is open to the endless possibilities of interpreting our reality and trusting that our experience is as valid as any other, without the need for external validation.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
After a brief career as a lawyer, I ventured into art. The transition was spontaneous and began with the creation of sculptural leather jewelry. Soon after launching that line of designs, I developed a line of fine jewelry, self-published a collection of poems in French, and recorded a song for which I wrote the lyrics. All these creative pursuits led me to painting. I have been a full-time artist for the past 12 years. Despite the lack of formal education or any prior connections to the art world, I was able within a short period of time to obtain gallery representation. This year, I had an exhibit at Art Symbol Gallery in Paris, France. I also exhibited for the first time in my native Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, at a group exhibit featuring the town’s most renowned artists. Sharing my art with people who knew me as a child was particularly special. Recently, I joined the roster of artists at Unchained Art in Austin, Texas. Some of my latest pieces are part of a group exhibit “Favorite Pieces” running from December 12 through January 25th.
My art explores the relationship between fragments and the whole, along with the infinite possibilities in which they can be assembled. Our fragmented understanding of how everything connects leads to our illusion of separateness and presents the greatest obstacle to creating harmony within ourselves and Nature. These themes permeate my work, as I seek new angles and visuals to convey the idea of our oneness with Nature.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
As far as knowledge, the best investment of our time is to find out who we are and what brings us joy. Arriving at a greater level of self-knowledge is a long process that may involve a great deal of introspection but the rewards are immense as we begin to live more authentically. Being patient, determined and resilient are probably the three most important qualities on my journey.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I would like to collaborate with more galleries and interior designers, as I want to focus on my craft and let professionals handle all the business aspects of selling and marketing the art. My portfolio can be seed on my website at www.nevenabentz.com. Anyone interested in a collaboration could contact me via Instagram at www.instagram/nevenabentz/
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nevenabentz.com
- Instagram: www.instagram/nevenabentz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nevenabentzart
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