Hello my name is Marsh Arts and I am the owner of The Marsh Arts Studio where I provide graphic design, illustration, painting and printing services.
I also sale artwork as well as out in paint & sips.
I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago where I earned my BFA in Graphic Design and I now reside in Atlanta.
I was always creative as a child and never stopped being creative but as your a baby/child you just do it because that’s what you love to do and as a child you play all fat. For me, if I was outside getting dirty I was inside being creative in some type of way. However getting into the preteen/teenage years I used art as a form of therapy. Here are the three ways art affected me on a mental, emotional and spiritual way.
Growing up I was raised Christian and had to have my hair pressed had to have girly clothes (I was a straight up tomboy) had to have everything neat and matching had to go to church and if I had any questions on why I couldn’t do something even if it was just to understand since I clearly didn’t understand at the time I was so confused. I had strict parents (I know now that it was because they were just being very protective of me in this crazy world) and I couldn’t really go anywhere. Even though I could’ve invited friends over but I liked going over places where the parents weren’t so strict so just I could have a little taste of freedom.
Long story short I became depressed and in a I don’t care attitude, I didn’t know who I was nor could I explore to find out no matter how hard I tried. It was literally driving me insane because I didn’t see myself in anyone nor anything except art. So on the days where I was just so angry at the world and at myself I would go to my studio that I created in the basement and would draw something very detailed just to let all of those questions that I had in my mind that wouldn’t get answered out. I overthink a lot and creating helped me to process everything I was thinking in a peaceful way.
I was sad and confused which turned into anger and all of it was pint up inside of me. I would rather harm myself than anyone else so in order for me to release all of those emotions I would throw paint onto paper and would see my emotions disappear as the paint splat therefore creating some of the best abstract artwork I’ve done. I like to call it killing two birds with one stone.
Once I graduated college, I became more interested in religion and spirituality. I wanted to finally indulge in that world and connect my beliefs with my art just like when someone becomes connected to an art piece. I started doing research not only on Christianity but also other religions and beliefs and whatever I related to/that I connected with I would put it in my artwork. Another killing two birds with one stone because I was learning about my people that looked like me before slavery and I realized that a lot of my people didn’t know the history of our people before slavery and what their beliefs are etc. so I was only right to inform people through my art.
In other words when people ask me how did art affect me mentally, spiritually and emotionally I can overall say that in present day when I need to let out some stress or process something I use art therapy and the art that create I make sure that my emotions and my culture portrays itself within my art so that people won’t feel alone and that them to can get through whatever they’re going through