BrushStrokes of Being

Karin Merx
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Brushstrokes of Being Podcast with conversations about art to inspire, encourage and teach

  1. FEB 17

    The Power of Mastery

    The first episode of 2026 begins not with acceleration, but with attention on the power of mastery. While painting Janine Jansen, immersed in the music of Jean Sibelius, there was a moment in which the work aligned. Technique, listening, and observation converged. The distinction between musician and instrument dissolved. What remained was embodiment. This episode reflects on mastery as a lived condition, not as rigidity, but as liberation. Across cultures and genres, disciplined practice has always enabled artistic freedom. The deep internalisation of craft allows interpretation to move without obstruction. When technique becomes embodied, imagination is no longer anxious; it becomes precise. The lives and practices of John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, and Michael Jacksonremind us that mastery does not belong to one institution, one tradition, or one culture. Even where access was denied, discipline and imagination forged new paths. In the studio, this same principle holds. Silence, repetition, and containment are not isolation; they are integration. The visible work rests upon long unseen immersion. As we enter 2026, this episode invites a reorientation: To honour skill. To protect depth. To stay with practice long enough for freedom to emerge. For those wishing to strengthen their own foundation in drawing and painting, the course Mastering Light and Shadow offers a structured path into tonal depth and visual vitality, with lifetime access and personal feedback options. https://onlineartseducation.co.uk May this year be grounded, attentive, and generative. Contact me Substack

    8 min

  2. 12/16/2025

    Notes On A Painting" 'Mahalia'

    Mahalia, Rising Star places a contemporary Black British vocalist at the centre of a visual language historically complicit in marginalisation. Drawing on Pre-Raphaelite aesthetics while actively interrupting their gaze, the painting confronts questions of mastery, presence, and cultural memory. Created in resistance to spectacle, speed, and aesthetic flattening, this work insists on discipline, subjecthood, and the dignity of becoming. It asks the viewer not to consume, but to remain. Watch on YouTube Contact Me

    11 min

  3. 12/02/2025

    Notes on a Painting: “Sol Gabetta”

    In this new instalment of Letters from the Studio, I open the door to the beginnings of my portrait of Sol Gabetta, a work that listens before it speaks. The first layer meets the canvas through music: the arc of movement, the breath between phrases, the subtle pauses that reveal the life within the performer. Rooted in four hundred years of artistic lineage, this painting grows from a way of seeing shaped by time, silence, and careful observation. Here, the aim is not likeness alone, but the interior world that precedes it, the emotion before the note, the recognition before the gesture. I share why every composition is drawn by hand, how sketches give form to fleeting expressions, and how the music itself becomes a collaborator in the process. The episode also touches on Mastering Light & Shadow™, a course created for artists seeking to overcome flatness and reconnect with the discipline of seeing. Mastering Light & ShadowTM YouTube Contact Me

    7 min

  4. 11/18/2025

    The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel Review

    This episode offers a reflection on The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel. While the book powerfully restores many women to the narrative of art history, from Renaissance pioneers to modern visionaries, its final chapters reveal a gap that continues to shape our understanding of women’s contributions today. The women who uphold and advance the classical craft of painting from life, artists working with discipline, sensitivity, and a profound commitment to the human presence, remain largely unacknowledged. Their omission underscores a persistent hierarchy in contemporary art discourse, one that prizes conceptual innovation while overlooking the mastery that once allowed earlier women artists to claim their place. Here I examine this paradox and argue for a more complete history: one that embraces the full spectrum of women’s artistic practices across five centuries, including the living lineage of classical realism. watch also on YouTube Buy the book Follow me on Instagram Contact me

    8 min

  5. 11/04/2025

    The Lost Ground of Mastery

    In this episode of Brushstrokes of Being, I examine the lost ground of mastery and the spiritual essence of art. Moving beyond theory, I reveal how true art arises where craft and consciousness meet. Through philosophy, neuroscience, and lived experience, Karin invites listeners to rediscover art as a sacred act of perception, a portal, not a product. For artists, thinkers, and collectors seeking depth, this is a journey into the soul of creation itself. Watch this episode on youtube Follow me on Instagram Contact me

    15 min

  6. 10/28/2025

    Art as Portal or Mirror?

    Welcome back to Brushstrokes of Being, where art meets soul and thought becomes colour. In this episode, ‘Art as Portal or Mirror’, I’m joined by Karen van Hoey Smith (mentor, art director, educator, and curator), whose journey through the art world bridges vision, compassion, and transformation. Together, we explore the shifting tides of the contemporary art market, the deeper meanings behind creation, and the evolving role of the artist. Karen shares her experience in Hungary, where she curated a poignant exhibition for a charity supporting orphaned children; a project in which art becomes both healing and an offering. We reflect on a timeless question: Is art truly art, or is it a portal, a token through which the viewer meets themselves? And finally, we ask: Can art ever really “speak for itself”? You can tune in for an intimate conversation on authenticity, purpose, and the invisible threads that connect the artist, the work, and the world. The charity auction opens on November 13 at 6 PM at the Lena & Roselli Gallery (https://lenaroselligallery.com), where Art Becomes Act and Beauty Meets Meaning. Follow Karen https://www.instagram.com/kvhs_creative/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-van-hoey-smith-96001a26/ Follow me https://instagram.com/karinmerxfineart Contact me https://karinmerx.co.uk/contact

    1h 18m

  7. 10/21/2025

    Ink and Silence: The Art of Kindness in Charlie Mackesy’s World

    Welcome to this episode of Brushstrokes of Being, Ink and Silence. The book that breathes wisdom, and I frequently turn to, as artist, but also for the wisdom is, Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. This is one of those rare works that seem to exhale light with every turning page. It is a book that does not announce itself loudly; it whispers. Its sentences are small, its drawings humble, yet between ink and silence something ancient stirs, a reminder that art can still be an act of tenderness in a restless world. This is not so much a book review, but a poetic and philosophical meditation on Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. Through reflections on line, silence, archetype, and compassion, I explore how Mackesy’s gentle drawings restore tenderness to modern art and remind us that vulnerability is the deepest form of courage. Follow Charlie Mackesy here: https://www.instagram.com/charliemackesy/ Contact me at https://karinmerx.co.uk/contact Follow me on https://instagram.com/karinmerxfineart

    20 min

  8. 10/14/2025

    The Spirit of Equine Art: Translating Emotion into Form

    Brushstrokes of Being, Episode 109 – The Spirit of Equine Art: Translating Emotion into Form “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” – Edgar Degas In this illuminating roundtable, host Karin Merx brings together four exceptional voices in equine art and curation: Karen Osborn (Australia), Mirelle Vegers (The Netherlands), Tony O’Connor (Ireland), and Joyce Ter Horst, curator of Paard Verzameld Equine Art Services and the Dutch Equine Art Fair. Together, they explore the unseen dialogue between artist and horse, where anatomy meets intuition, and observation transforms into emotion. From growing up in the forge to living among herds, these artists reveal what it truly means to paint what you feel and translate the spirit of another being onto canvas. Joyce ter Horst offers deep insight into the art of curating, not merely “hanging paintings,” but weaving narrative, connection, and meaning. She shares the story behind the Dutch Equine Art Fair (6–9 November, Living Horse Museum, Amsterdam), a global stage where craftsmanship, emotion, and storytelling meet. Join Karin and her guests as they reflect on artistry, empathy, and why painting horses is far more than a niche — it’s a timeless dialogue between nature, humanity, and art itself. Watch & Subscribe: Brushstrokes of Being: https://youtube.com/@karinmerxfineart Event: Dutch Equine Art Fair, November 6–9, Living Horse Museum, Amsterdam: https://dutchequineartfair.com Curated by: Paard Verzameld Equine Art Services Joyce Ter Horst-Paard Verzameld: https://www.paardverzameld.com https://www.instagram.com/paardverzameld/ https://www.instagram.com/dutchequineartfair_amsterdam/ Tony O’Connor: https://whitetreestudio.ie https://www.instagram.com/tony_o_connor/ Mirelle Vegers: https://mirellevegers.com https://www.instagram.com/mirelle_vegers/ Karen Osborn: https://karenosbornart.com.au https://www.instagram.com/karen.osborn.art/ Follow me: https://karinmerx.co.uk https://instagram.com/karinmerxfineart Contact me: https://karinmerx.co.uk/contact

    47 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Brushstrokes of Being Podcast with conversations about art to inspire, encourage and teach

Information

  • Creator
    Karin Merx
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2022-2023 All content is the copyright of Karin Merx Fine Art
  • Show Website
    BrushStrokes of Being