[Article by Cynthia Lamanna]

I recently engaged in a refreshing and candid phone interview with artist Anne Eunice, who currently resides in San Francisco. I was drawn in by this winsome, light yet sincere young woman, intrigued by her simple, poignant answers to some specific and open ended questions regarding her art, and the creation thereof.

Without a lot of fan-fare and drawn out explanations or reflections, she was humble, yet assured and matter of fact.

When asked how long she had been creating art, she answered “all my life.” She implied that over the last six months, she has taken more of an active interest. Currently part of a weekly art group, Eunice views drawing as a catalyst for inner healing. “When you make art, you can see that there’s still good, still love, still some happiness inside yourself.”

When asked how her art has evolved, she spoke up without pause. “I think it’s still evolving.” As the succinct answers and conversation weaved and flowed, with a sense of order and purpose, I was processing an image of an unpretentious sort who might be far too modest in her own appraisal of her gifts. Yet she seemed far less concerned with the grandiose, and final product, and more aware of the beauty of the journey, in the process, and expressed with an earnestness and conviction how she would like to continue her education in art, improve upon and develop herself as an artist.

What came across too was the fresh fascination of creating, emulating or re-creating beauty, and an enduring child-like wonder. I had not yet viewed her art at the time of the phone interview, and was curious, using my trusted imagination in place of other senses, to envision and/or capture in part, an essence, as it were. I invited her at her own pace to express herself, give a birds’ eye view, and somehow convey a prominent or primary message as well as visual, in telling a story about her art.

Cynthia Lamanna lives in the East San Francisco Bay Area, and is a regular contributor to Synchronized Chaos Magazine. You may reach her at cynthialamanna@yahoo.com.

Since then, I have taken a look at a few of Anne’s pieces, and she enjoys portraying flowers against the starlit sky. Inspired by Salvador Dali and the Impressionists, she floods her work with color and energy.

You have a chance to view a showcase of Anne’s art in this Edition of Synchronized Chaos, as well as a glimpse beyond the art, and a walk into her inner thoughts, insights and motivations behind the painted picture. She was not evasive or chatty, and with ease, as well as a sense of serenity, a rich quality emerged, a low key yet passionate person; a vision was formed of the blithe artist.

She seemed possessed of both a keen intuition and delightful imagination. She mentioned flowers, stars and landscapes as subjects she likes to emulate, and describes her creations as “surreal.”

When asked if she saw her art as having any particular connection to her life story, she says, “It’s about things I think are beautiful.” My interest was piqued further, as she described her use of vibrant colors (on the blue end of the color spectrum). “I like Blue. I just like romantic blues and purples, like the night-time skies.” An ahh moment followed.

“So you’re a romantic.” (I said and asked at the same time). She answered in the affirmative. I knew and sensed our time was coming to an end, though there was more I wanted to know, and find connections with, and more I yearned to hear in her own simple profound way. Yes, like the perpetual child, asking for one more chance and/or one more question to ask in retrospect, without meaning to be intrusive and acknowledging there was a time restraint on her end.

She enjoys creating with pencils and markers because they’re easy to work with, but also enjoys watercolors. And she pursues many interests outside of art, including personal growth, chanting in Sanskrit, yoga, and reading. Psychology and the human mind fascinate her, and she would love to work in the mental health field someday.

At last, with one more pressing question formulating in my mind, we were headed for the finale here. “If a child, loved one-or soul mate were to look at your art, what would you want them to walk away with?” With her answer, on cue, perfectly non- contrived or planned she gave me something more beautiful than a stunning visual or eloquent word picture. “Just love.”

And just like that in our short but memorable time together, with a silent resounding, and sweet note of peace and closure, I was left with a picture of a lovely giving person, and someone who wanted to love, and to be remembered that way.