We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Margaret Fleeman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Margaret below.
Hi Margaret, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I would say my purpose found me…unfolding over years, showing me the way to my deeper inner being. It has been a process of self-discovery with my body being my teacher and guide. I liken it to the hero’s journey, ignited by an unexpected challenge or obstacle to kickstart a personal odyssey. The pursuit of which unfolded before me, revealing a deeper meaning and purpose to my life as I walked down the path…
Living in New York City in my early twenties, I was starting my life as an artist. I had my first health challenge which led to a lifelong mystical pursuit in seeking methods and understanding of self-healing. One night I went to bed as one person and the next day I was someone else. The following morning, I noticed my hands felt weak and cramping. I had trouble holding heavy objects and repetitive use became debilitating. The day before, I was using a hammer to break up tile for a mosaic I was creating. Initially I thought it was temporary, however, that was not the case. That was the beginning… of years trying to understand what changed in my body overnight! As an artist using my hands was critical. I still have this mysterious condition; the doctors could not find a neurological reason for it but eventually called it Writer’s Cramp.
This challenge defined my life in the early years, creating obstacles along the way; limiting aspects of my physical activities, impacting certain jobs and athletics that I could perform. Despite these setbacks, I was determined and modified my behaviors to achieve what I wanted to do. Including going back to school for a master’s degree to build a career that reduced the dependency on my hands. I travelled down the proverbial rabbit hole in search of a self-healing cure. Asking questions that lead to researching faith systems, the science of yoga, mysticism, metaphysics, alchemy, meditation, and power of thought.
The body is a vehicle of consciousness and as such it communicates through the material body. For every health condition I have faced over the years, each experience led to a deeper understanding of the mind / body connection. Years ago, my study of Alchemy as a metaphor & design concept for self-actualization became a platform that continues to underpin the ideas behind my paintings today. A metaphysical process of transmuting from one state into another is a symbolic representation of the universal emotional, psychological, and spiritual themes of my narratives. Ever-changing and revealing aspects of our soul’s journey I never tire of this framework because life never ceases to offer ways to grow and change.
My artistic approach is often abstract and representational symbolism to capture the essence of a concept or visual language in storytelling. I use mystical symbols real and unreal as my language to capture the essence of forces, seen and unseen, which shape our experiences.
In hindsight, I see this initial crisis as a gift, because it propelled me down a path I would not have travelled on and has made the quality of my life richer for it. My sense of purpose comes from a place of mystical & self-inquiry. Seeing and experiencing life through the symbols of our daily happenings and interactions. Seeking an understanding and connection to the unseen hand that guides our journey through life.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have been painting for over 25 years now. Initially it was a private endeavor, inspired by the self-discovery kicked-off by the issue with my hands. A visual journey of sorts, however, in the last five years, I started to sell pieces out of my studio, which led to the decision to launch myself as a full-time painter in 2023.
I paint with acrylics because I love to work fast and on a large scale. I build layers using various tools and techniques with the paint to create visual interest and depth, sometimes with the application of a texture to the surface. I find the greatest inspiration and joy in painting with a storytelling or theme component to my imagery. The influence of this started from my self-healing research as well as traveling around the world visiting monumental sites in places like Egypt, China, Tibet, and India. Studying humanity’s sublime creative achievements honoring something greater than ourselves; or depicting a universal narrative of the hero’s journey through images & symbols on monuments & temples. This storyline applies to everyone in some fashion, and I strive to bring depth into my work to touch the viewer for their own experiential understanding.
This year began with an exciting opportunity to share my work. I am one of twenty artists selected for Charlotte’s ArtPop Street Gallery, Cities Program www.artpopstreetgallery.com. An annual juried-in exhibition, where the gallery is the entire Charlotte metropolitan region! Each year, twenty selected artists receive a combined $8 million in public media space, educational opportunities, features at artist events, and more. This is an opportunity to expand artistically and build connections to a broader creative community, for which I have been longing.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back over the years, I realize I have a voracious curiosity to learn and study things that interest me; because of this I seek to find perspectives or attributes that lead to positive outcomes. The top three qualities that drive my life are the following:
• Self-Inquiry
For me, it is critically important to practice self-inquiry and awareness. To be willing to dive deep and look at the parts of ourselves that we love and/or place judgements upon. Discovering the subconscious beliefs and narratives we hold about ourselves is key to understanding how you interact with the world.
• Growth Mindset
Cultivating a more purposeful and meaningful life by being open to everyday challenges supports learning and personal development. Catching limiting thought patterns and substituting with a productive one can have a tremendous impact on outcomes. The more you practice, you will experience the benefits and intervene on own your behalf.
• Life-long Learner
Learning for me has gone well beyond classical education. There are so many topics and fields of interest that captivate my attention that I cannot find the time to pursue them all. This gives me joy because I never get bored- and am ever curious!
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Yes, I have consistently struggled with the risk/reward challenge of being a professional artist. I had a corporate career before starting my family and always intended to return. As an emerging artist, with adult children, there is a vulnerability in striving to have both a professional art career and financial security. However, the “risk” of focusing professionally on my art is worth it as I am getting to fully explore and grow my artistic self without the confines of a maternal routine. Returning to a disciplined schedule of creative exploration and output is surprisingly challenging but is grounding me in a place that has been dormant for many years. An aspect to finding my purpose is to live a healthy, joy filled, creative life, which I currently have!
Contact Info:
- Website:www.margaretfleemanstudio.com
- Instagram: Margaret Fleeman Studio
- Facebook: Margaret Fleeman Studio
- Linkedin: Margaret Fleeman
Image Credits
The ArtPop billboard with Charlotte nightscape done by Rico Marcelo Photography
