FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS
INSPIRATION
WHAT IS " DHARMA ART " ?
" Dharma Art refers to art that springs from a certain state of mind on the part of the artist that could be called the meditative state. It is an attitude of directness and unself-consciousness in one's creative work. [...] Genuine art tells the truth."
~ Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche [ Extract from "True Perception, the Path of Dharma Art" ]
" Dharma Art " is creative work that comes from an awakened state of meditation. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche explains that it is also a way of appreciating the nature of things as they are and expressing them without striving to struggle or achieve anything. Dharma Art work brings out what is good and worthy in the situation it represents. To do this, the artist must be interested in the details of life, remain willing to discover as well as to cultivate his talent and to assimilate the knowledge and intuitions transmitted by tradition. But the principles of Dharma Art also apply to everyday life, because any activity can provide an opportunity to open up to the universe. " Source : [ 4th Cover of "Dharma et Créativité" par Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche — Éditions du Seuil (French) ]
The very essence of my understanding of Dharma Art comes from Rinpoche's teaching. I have read the aforementioned book as often as Rainer Maria Rilke's " Letters to a Young Poet" . It was first on the cushion that I developed the practice, also in the great museums of the world, in Japan, in my garden... and essentially in the studio. Whereas it has as its fundamental the sitting practice, it includes all of the attention that I pay to the phenomena of my daily life: otherness, a global relationship with Nature, the six senses, dreams or simply cleaning my brushes or making soup... A Dharma artist can obviously be sensitive to Buddhist representations and symbolism, but this source of inspiration is not exhaustive since it is a question of including, including, including more....
HOW DOES A TYPICAL DAY GO FOR AN ARTIST ?
Every artist has their own unique rhythm and routine. I can share mine here. Hyperactive and fast for a long time (I didn't know how to walk and always ran, talked and worked too fast...), meditation and age have praised slowness. The rhythms of Nature (season, meteorology, tides and astrological cycles, especially lunar) have a crucial influence on mine. Every day of the year, I get up an hour before the sun. A few stretches, then the priority is to take care of my cats. After the shower, I put on a freshly ironed black samue* and join my zafu** for a first and rather formal meditation session (shikantaza***), sometimes followed by a short yin yoga session during which I read. Never breakfast but lots of coffee during the following time which is devoted to writing: diary, notes, poetry, artist's journal... It has been daylight for a while already when I join the studio. Putting on my apron, lighting a candle and incense, summoning the invisible bowing with joined hands are among the immutable ritual that opens the sacred space. I rarely eat lunch at a set time, and sometimes ride my bike to the beach with a sandwich. A day at the studio is a constant ballet between zafu and pictorial material, often sustained by high-fidelity music; I leave the studio around 5:30 p.m. at the earliest to go swimming, walking... Sometimes I stay and visit my small greenhouse and work for a while in the garden. It is also the time of samu, house maintenance work and mandatory appointments. I then like the moment of twilight (literally in French: time between the dog and the wolf) where I revisit the gratitudes I have for the day that is already withdrawing.
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*samue: 作務衣 literally : "Workwear", is a Japanese ensemble worn by artists and craftsmen, gardeners and Zen monks.
**zafu: meditation cushion in the Zen buddhist path.
*** shikantaza: 只管打坐 ou just sitting in Japanese is the core practice of zazen, in the Sōtō school.
DO YOU WORK WITH COLLABORATORS ?
Solitude, simplicity and silence are the prerequisites for my creative process over time. In the studio, I work alone, without an assistant, with my phone on standby. My two cats Tsuki and Zenji are the only beings allowed to enter. My loved ones understand this and I make sure I am fully present to them as soon as I see them. Nevertheless, I love working and co-creating occasionally in the form of dialogue with artists practicing another discipline: musicians, poets, dancers... which is sometimes offered to me during one-off performances or mini-retreats. See below : RESIDENCY
PURCHASE
I WILL BE IN SAINT-MALO SOON AND AM INTERESTED IN ONE OF YOUR PAINTINGS. CAN I COME AND DISCOVER IT AT THE STUDIO ?
My pleasure, by appointment only ! please contact me by email : hello (at) carolinemaby (dot) art or by phone : +33 (0) 683 637 381 and we will set a meeting : CONTACT
I LIVE ABROAD AND CAN NOT MEET YOU IN BRITTANY. CAN WE ORGANISE AN ONLINE MEETING AND POSSIBLY A STUDIO VISIT ?
Sure ! It is always dear to me to meet art lovers and collectors, and to welcome them to my home-studio despite the distance. The web and tools like Zoom allow us to weave this friendship, to invite you into the sacred space that my studio is and to present to you the progress of my work in a privileged way .
IS IT POSSIBLE TO RENT A WORK FOR A SET TIME?
I have never offered this service, although I have already been asked for it. I will not fail to announce this offer if I finally choose it. To stay informed of developments and future creations, I invite you to subscribe to the NEWSLETTER.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I WOULDN’T LIKE THE CREATION I PURCHASED ONLINE?
I would be sorry if your order disappoints you and will do my best to satisfy you. They are all much more beautiful in reality than on the website. As with any online purchase, you have 14 days to return the entire order if it does not fully please you. The return and refund conditions are presented here : RETURNS.
COMMISSION
I WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A SPECIFIC ORDER FOR MY BUSINESS, HOW DO I PROCEED ?
What a joy it would be to mobilize my energy and creativity to serve your project! The essential information is summarized here : COMMISSION .
I warmly invite you to contact me to discuss your intention and vision. I will therefore be able to give you details on my way of working and specify deadlines and terms : CONTACT .
Ideally, I like to go to the destination of the project, of which the exhibition space is a major aspect, to draw inspiration from it, encourage visualizations and above all exchange face-to-face with you. (For information, in France, the purchase of works of art allows (French) companies to benefit from attractive tax advantages : FISCALITY )
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A CUSTOM CREATION TO SOMEONE, HOW DO I PROCEED ?
For paper work, there is a GIFT CARD in 3 formats ready to offer. The proposal of VOUCHER for all budgets is to be spent on the site and of course includes any specific order project. If these facilities do not suit you, do not hesitate to contact me : CONTACT and consult the page : COMMISSION. The terms and conditions are the same for all commissioners, whether institutional, corporate or private.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE COMPLETION OF THE ORDER WOULD NOT MEET MY EXPECTATIONS ?
RESIDENCY
DO YOU RESPOND TO RESIDENCE INVITATIONS ?
Yes, once or twice a year at the most. I love novelty, travel, inter-disciplinary collaborations and above all meeting people. Each residency is a unique adventure: a collective creative dive, each time completely revised from scratch, as if it were for the first time — and also the very last. I am attached to the magic of these suspended, intense and unrepeatable moments.
WHAT SERVICES OR PERFORMANCES DO YOU OFFER ?
It’s very variable and for each invitation, I design a new and demanding proposal. This can range from the creation of an ad-hoc work on-site, alone or in collaboration with another artist (musician, poet, dancer, etc.) and sometimes even inviting residents to participate (children, indigenous adults in certain remote and/or protected areas, people in difficulty, etc.) to a collective creative retreat in a private residence, hotel or spiritual center. In the first case, I intervene as a visual artist. In the second, my certifications as an Art Therapist and teacher in PAINTING FROM THE SOURCE®, Creative Journal®, Yin Yoga, and my seasoned practice of Zen enrich the proposals for groups. My Buddhist commitment and an infinite respect for the surrounding Nature are the immutable underpinnings of all projects. For more see : CURRICULUM
STUDIO
IS IT POSSIBLE TO COME AND VISIT THE STUDIO ?
The workshop is not open to the public, but I would be happy to invite you there for any discussion concerning a creative project (order) or the acquisition of a piece seen on the website. To make an appointment, please contact me : CONTACT