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No Inherent Existence: mixed-media pieces by Hildy Maze

Hildy Maze

None of us can escape the habit of projecting thoughts and concepts onto reality itself— what Buddhists would call “pure perception”. But if we can access awareness of our inner, deeply ingrained conceptual biases, we can open new windows onto our mind. By contrast, when mind is immersed in uncontrolled emotions and mistaken, often self-preserving beliefs, we’re unable to see clearly: it is as though we are trying to peer through a dirty window.

This contemplative approach to my work involves an attempt to visually describe these obscuring veils from a more spacious point of view, drawing upon both my personal experience and my experience of meditation practice. My work is intended to be intimate and accessible. Usually art that considers itself contemplative is serene and without specific images. The work that I do is contemplative, but not in this way. Viewing these images is a path to looking into the physical and emotional journeys we experience by our own creation.

Art has the capacity to infuse our experience with awareness of how our thoughts and emotions compel us, often blind us to our inherent nature. These abstract contemplative works are made with the view, and along with their carefully chosen titles, invite viewers to move beyond the boundaries of the image into a more contemplative consideration of mind in relationship to the phenomena of what we consider objective reality. In our world, understanding those with a different point of view from ours, asks from us a certain amount of empathy, open-mindedness and willingness to apply logic.

There are often hidden reasons why we might take umbrage at someone or their stated opinion. If we find ourselves reacting with unexpected animosity (or even passionate agreement), it helps to figure out why, and to remember that we are human rather than machine, and that it’s okay to feel emotions. Yet actually, do we want our ever-changing moods, emotions, hopes and fears to lead us around? Is there another way to relate altogether?

Beside Myself - Hildy Maze
Beside Myself
Beyond the Safety of the False - Hildy Maze
Beyond the Safety of the False
Coming and Going - Hildy Maze
Coming and Going
Insulted by the Everyday - Hildy Maze
Insulted by the Everyday
Nothing Works so Everything Happens - Hildy Maze
Nothing Works so Everything Happens
Pain of False Structures of the Conventional - Hildy Maze
Pain of False Structures of the Conventional
Confined by Beliefs - Hildy Maze
Confined by Beliefs
Empty-handed I Came and Will Go - Hildy Maze
Empty-handed I Came and Will Go
Legacy of Shame - Hildy Maze
Legacy of Shame
Reflections on the Border - Hildy Maze
Reflections on the Border
Still Separated - Hildy Maze
Still Separated
Thirst to Know - Hildy Maze
Thirst to Know
Without Remedies or Shelters - Hildy Maze
Without Remedies or Shelters
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Hildy Maze

Hildy Maze is an American artist with Turkish. Russian, and Austrian heritage. Born in Brooklyn, NY she received a BFA from Pratt Institute. Her work is influenced by her 25-year study and practice of Tibetan Buddhist meditation. She is best known for her abstract contemplative oil on paper drawing, painting collages. For years, Hildy lived and worked in her loft in Tribeca, NYC before moving to East Hampton, NY where she currently works and lives.

In her studio, Hildy explores mind and identity. Though her process of collage she intimately describes how our active mind creates collages of thoughts, as in a dream. If we examine our thoughts, we can see they are fragmented pieces, empty of solidity. You can view her work at HildyMaze.com and on Instagram and on Twitter @HildyMaze.

Author: Hildy Maze Tags: mixed-media Category: Visual Art and Visual Poetry November 30, 2018

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Empty Mirror

Established in 2000 and edited by Denise Enck, Empty Mirror is an online literary magazine that publishes new work each Friday.

Each week EM features several poems each by one or two poets; reviews; critical essays; visual art; and personal essays.

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