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.




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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/



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Contact me https://karinmerx.co.uk/contact

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/



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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/@karinmerxfineartEvent: 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



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Catherine McCormack’s Women in the Picture profoundly reframes how we perceive women in art. From Venus to the Monstrous Woman, McCormack uncovers persistent archetypes that structure our visual culture, revealing how seemingly timeless masterpieces actually participate in shaping desire, power, and representation.



As an art historian and practicing artist, this book resonated deeply with me and inspired my series The Gaze Reclaimed, which celebrates women artists who reclaimed visibility for themselves and their subjects.



Timestamps



00:00 Introduction – Changing the way we see00:12 Why Women in the Picture struck me deeply00:33 How representation shapes perception00:48 The roots of The Gaze Reclaimed series01:13 Building Brushstrokes of Being Studio02:05 Catherine McCormack’s contribution to art history and feminist critique03:12 The four archetypes – Venus, Mother, Maidens & Dead Damsels, and Monstrous Women04:28 Archetypes from the Renaissance to the digital age05:17 The illusion of liberation in contemporary culture06:02 Rethinking Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring07:25 The myth of perfection and the camera obscura08:42 The female gaze and the reenactment of desire09:33 Why McCormack’s writing matters today10:14 “Images are never innocent” – the politics of representation11:08 Seeing differently: art as transformation



I also share updates on Brushstrokes of Being Studio, where mini-courses on colour theory are currently available. Explore them today or join the waiting list for the full launch this November.




https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/palettes-mixing-skin-colours/



https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/colour-harmony-family-temperature-contrast/



https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/hues-values-chroma/



https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/the-colour-wheel-explained/



https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/a-brief-history-of-colour-free/



https://mailchi.mp/a5dd5098f749/waiting-list-brushstrokes-of-being-studion

“Mastery is the slowest, hardest path in the world, and the only one worth taking.”



In this episode of Brushstrokes of Being, I reflect on what it truly means to master an art form. Why Mastery Is the Only Path Worth Taking? As both a painter and a classically trained musician, I’ve lived the reality of endless hours in the studio or at an instrument, practice, repetition, resilience, and passion.



Together, we’ll explore:




Why mastery demands discipline and patience in today’s instant-gratification culture.



What neuroscience reveals about how art and music reshape the brain.



Stories from my portraits of Janine Jansen and Sol Gabetta—living examples of artistic mastery.



Insights from Iain McGilchrist’s The Matter With Things on creativity, preparation, and illumination.



Why deliberate practice is not just about skill—it’s about building focus, resilience, and fulfilment.




I will also launch Brushstrokes of Being Studio, where artists can study colour theory, art history, and storytelling. Explore my mini-courses on colour, or join the waiting list for the full launch in November.




https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/palettes-mixing-skin-colours/





https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/colour-harmony-family-temperature-contrast/





https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/hues-values-chroma/





https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/the-colour-wheel-explained/





https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/a-brief-history-of-colour-free/




Waiting List email landing pagehttps://mailchi.mp/a5dd5098f749/waiting-list-brushstrokes-of-being-studion



Mastery may be slow, but it’s also deeply transformative, for your art, your brain, and your life.



Timestamps:



00:00 – Mastery: the slowest, hardest path worth takingWhy the path of mastery in art and music is difficult, slow, and ultimately the most rewarding journey.



00:01 – What true mastery looks like in music and artFrom breath control and posture in music to light, shadow, and colour theory in painting—what daily mastery practice really involves.



00:02 – The hidden value behind classical concert ticketsA story on why concert tickets reflect years of training, resilience, and invisible hours of practice by world-class musicians.



00:05 – Why students struggle with the effort of masteryHow young artists and musicians react to the relentless practice required, and why persistence is the real test of talent.



00:12 – Neuroscience of practice and neuroplasticityScientific research on how deliberate practice rewires the brain, strengthens neural pathways, and improves memory, focus, and creativity.



00:20 – Stories from painting Janine Jansen & Sol GabettaPortraits of exceptional female musicians reveal subtlety, strength, and poetic mastery built through decades of dedication.



00:28 – Iain McGilchrist on creativity: preparation, incubation, illuminationInsights from The Matter With Things on the three stages of creativity and why true insight only arrives after hard preparation.



00:36 – The link between mastery, focus, and fulfilmentWhy deep, consistent practice builds resilience, patience,

In this episode of Brushstrokes of Being, I sit down with Elizabeth Markevitch, who once worked in the high-end world of Impressionist and Modern masterpieces. She left the “art box” behind to democratise access to art and created IkonoTV https://ikonotv.art/, a platform treating art as medicine.



We explore:




Why art is still “in the concert hall” while music has been democratized



How streaming and digital tools can transform art access



The healing impact of “slow art” films on our minds and emotions



The parallels between AI, Napster-era music, and the future of creativity




Join us for a conversation that shifts art from luxury to life force.Where to follow Elizabeth Markevitch: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/Markevitch Instagram: https://instagram.com/Markevitch Medium: https://medium.com/@markevitch/ IkonoTV: https://ikonotv.art Follow me on: Instagram: https://instagram.com/karinmerxfineart Facebook: https://facebook.com/karinmerx Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/karin-merx-ma-8087a867Contact me: https://karinmerx.co.uk/contact



Support Brushstorkes of Being on Patreon

In this episode of Brushstrokes of Being, The Double Chair, I bring two voices into dialogue: the Artist, living for unity, diversity, and transformation, and the Philosopher, seeking meaning in those values.



The conversation weaves together childhood curiosity, music, the Old Masters, the quiet rebellion of painting, the essential role of diversity, and the distinction between discrimination and racism. At its core lies the question of why I do what I do, and who I am as a human and as an artist.



This is not an interview with answers; it is an invitation to ask questions again and again and to live as an artist.



Timestamps



00:00 – Welcome & the deeper questions behind technique



00:34 – The artist and philosopher in dialogue



01:34 – Following curiosity, music, and art against the grain



02:15 – Old Masters, story, and meaning in painting



03:19 – Resisting speed and noise: art as slow rebellion



04:47 – Unity, diversity, and transformation in practice



06:06 – Discrimination vs. racism: the deeper distinction



07:28 – Colour as story, music, and truth



09:12 – Between rebellion and love, stillness and colour




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What does it mean to truly see? To slow down, observe, and let creativity flow through your hands? On this episode of Brushstrokes of Being, I speak with Adebanji Alade, the BBC-featured artist and President of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, about the transformative power of sketching, embracing failure, and loving the process over the final piece.



Highlights Adebanji Alade:




Why sketching is more than drawing — it’s a way to think.



How to treat rejection as a friend and failure as feedback.



Adebanji’s approach to observational art, curiosity, and serendipity.



The lifeblood of creative practice: seeing, sketching, and process.




[00:00:00] Welcome & Introduction[00:01:05] "Observe everything, sketch everything you see" — sketching as a way of thinking[00:05:12] Becoming "The Addictive Sketcher"[00:08:45] Curiosity, slowing down, and seeing the world differently[00:12:34] Failing as feedback & making friends with rejection[00:16:50] What matters most: the process of art[00:19:40] Advice for artists: why sketching is the lifeblood of representational art[00:22:10] Where to find Adebanji & closing thoughts



Follow Adebanji: Instagram/TikTok/Facebook @AddictiveSketcherVisit his website: adebanjialade.co.uk




Listen & Watch: https://youtube.com/@karinmerxfineart



Instagram: https://instagram.com/karinmerxfineart



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarinMerx



Contact: https://karinmerx.co.uk/contact

Art as Medicine in the Age of Machines marks the conclusion of my series The Gaze Reclaimed. After seven episodes honouring women artists who fought to be seen, I turn to our present reality: a time where human creativity is once again at risk of erasure.



Today, billions of artworks are silently scraped into datasets without consent, feeding machines that produce hollow images. Yet art is not a product of code. Art is presence, resonance, and transformation. Science now gives us the words—neuroaesthetics—to confirm that art regulates our nervous systems, heals trauma, and strengthens our humanity.



This is not just history. It is our future. And the choice is clear: reduce art to pixels, or reclaim it as medicine for the soul.



Art Talk has evolved in Brushstrokes of Being: Art is the Cradle of Our Soul



0:00 Intro | Brushstrokes of Being1:05 The Gaze Reclaimed – past to present6:11 What is art, really?9:40 Neuroaesthetics: art as medicine13:08 Painting, Photography & AI – three different entities17:55 Children, creativity, and the danger of neglect22:12 Why artists matter now more than ever32:48 Closing | Reclaiming the gaze




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Camille Claudel was more than Rodin’s lover, more than the “madwoman” silenced in an asylum for thirty years. She was a visionary sculptor who gave marble and bronze a pulse, sensual, intimate, and profoundly human.



In this episode of Art Talk: The Gaze Reclaimed Part Seven: Camille Claudel, we explore:




Claudel’s early brilliance and her fight to study sculpture in Paris.



Her bold collaboration and rivalry with Auguste Rodin.



Masterpieces like The Waltz, The Mature Age, and Clotho, works that reveal intimacy, grief, and resilience.



The injustice of her confinement and her erasure from art history.



How her genius is finally honoured today at the Musée Camille Claudel.




To reclaim Camille Claudel is to honour all the women who reshaped art against impossible odds. Her gaze, once silenced, returns to us now, sensual, powerful, eternal.



Listen, reflect, and share this episode with someone who loves art, history, and the reclamation of forgotten voices.




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“To paint is to love again.” Louise-Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun’s words define a life devoted to courage, beauty, and creation. Born in 1755, she overcame the barriers of a male-dominated art world, teaching herself by copying the works of Rembrandt, Rubens, and Van Dyck. By fifteen, she was a professional portraitist. In this episode, I discuss Louise-Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun: The Gaze Reclaimed, Part 6.



Appointed official portraitist to Marie Antoinette, Vigée-Lebrun captured not only the likeness but the humanity of her subjects. Her Self-Portrait in a Straw Hat, painted at twenty-seven, radiates joy and audacity: palette and brushes in hand, golden curls crowned with a straw hat adorned with flowers and a feather, her gaze meets ours across centuries, declaring creative freedom and personal triumph.



Exiled during the French Revolution, she travelled across Europe: London, Vienna, Italy, painting royalty, expanding her style, and leaving a legacy that empowered women artists for generations. Over six hundred works survive, and her memoirs chronicle her life, offering insight into her resilience, skill, and advocacy for women in art.



Vigée-Lebrun’s story is one of audacity, self-expression, and reclamation of the gaze; a timeless inspiration for all artists.




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In this episode of The Gaze Reclaimed Part 5: Berthe Morisot, we celebrate the 100th episode of Art Talk. Berthe Morisot (1841–1895) was not just a painter — she was one of the most influential female Impressionists in art history. Known as the Mother of Impressionism, she transformed the way women and modern life were depicted on canvas, bringing radical lightness, liberation, and emotion to a movement still dominated by men.



Berthe Morisot Biography: Early Life and Training



Born in Bourges, France, Morisot grew up in a Parisian family that encouraged her artistic ambitions — an unusual gift for a woman of her time. She trained privately, since women were barred from the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts until the 1870s. Her teachers recognised her exceptional skill, and she moved from one to the next, each advancing her mastery of traditional techniques.



In her journal, she once wrote:




“I do not think any man would ever treat a woman as his equal, and it is all I ask because I know my worth.”




Berthe Morisot in the Impressionist Circle



Morisot exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1865, moving in the same circles as Manet, Degas, Monet, and Renoir. Claude Monet famously remarked after meeting Berthe and her sister Edma, “What a shame they are not men.” It was a stark reminder of the gender barriers she faced.



Despite societal limitations — she could not roam the streets of Paris unaccompanied or linger in cafés observing life — she carved her own path. Her Berthe Morisot paintings often depict women and children in luminous gardens, interiors, and domestic spaces.



Artistic Style and Legacy



Morisot’s work dissolved the boundaries between figure and background, with loose, gestural brushwork that captured fleeting moments. Critics sometimes called her “the angel of the incomplete” for her open, fragmentary compositions — though this was not always meant as praise. Today, this quality is recognised as part of her radical approach.



Berthe Morisot Self-Portrait and Key Works



Two self-portraits from 1885 stand out.




Self-Portrait with Her Daughter Julie feels like a drawing brought to life on canvas — light, precise, and unforced, representing both her personal and artistic values.



Self-Portrait shows her in a traditional pose but alive with quick, confident brushstrokes, asserting herself as an equal in the male-dominated world of Impressionist painters.




Irish writer George Moore once said of her:




“Her pictures are the only pictures painted by a woman that could not be destroyed without creating a blank in the history of art.”




Berthe Morisot Art Exhibitions



Throughout her career and posthumously, Morisot’s work has been shown internationally:




1930: London, The Leicester Galleries



1936: New York, Wildenstein Galleries



1941: Paris, Musée de l’Orangerie



1947: Paris, Galerie Weil



2002: Lille, Palais des Beaux-Arts



2023: Berthe Morisot: Shaping Impressionism, Dulwich Picture Gallery, London — though notably, 13 of the 43 works displayed were by men.




Why Berthe Morisot Still Matters



Morisot’s art captures the restrictions and quiet rebellions of women’s lives in 19th-century France. She worked within imposed boundaries but turned them into spaces of innovation.

In this episode of Art Talk, part 4 of The Gaze Reclaimed, we explore the extraordinary life and legacy of Edmonia Lewis — the first African-Native American sculptor to gain international recognition in the 19th century.



Born in a fractured America, orphaned young, and wrongfully accused of poisoning classmates at Oberlin, Lewis defied every expectation. She carved her path — literally — from Boston to Rome, to London, where she passed away after being gravely ill. She was creating neoclassical sculptures that challenged the white Western gaze. Her work reclaimed space for Black and Indigenous narratives long erased from the canon.



What you'll hear in this episode:




How The Death of Cleopatra disrupted 19th-century audiences and redefined visual power



Why Lewis chose to sculpt her own works by hand—defying norms and prejudice



A deeper look at Forever Free, her emancipation-era masterpiece, and the subtle symbolism of resistance



Reflections on the erasure of women and Black artists from art history—and why that tide is finally turning




This is not just art history—it’s cultural memory in marble.



If you’re an artist, curator, educator, or simply someone who believes in reclaiming forgotten voices, this episode is for you. 







Keep this series alive.Support the art you love and step behind the scenes. As a Patreon member, you’ll receive each episode 48 hours early, along with an exclusive, beautifully designed companion booklet that deepens the experience through rich imagery, insight, and inspiration.




https://patreon.com/karinsarttalk



Contact me https://karinmerx.co.uk/contact



Watch the podcast on https://YouTube.com/@karinmerxfineart

In Episode 98 of Art Talk, we explore the extraordinary life of Elisabetta Sirani, the forgotten Baroque Prodigy. A 17th-century Baroque artist from Bologna who defied social norms to become one of the first professional female painters in Europe.



Born into an artistic family in 1638, Sirani took over her father's studio by age 17, produced over 200 paintings before her death at 27, and became the first woman in history to open her studio to female students. Her bold depictions of women, such as Judith and Timoclea of Thebes, challenged the passive, decorative roles assigned to women in art and society, portraying them instead as courageous, intelligent, and morally empowered.



This episode of The Gaze Reclaimed examines how Sirani’s legacy reshaped the visual narrative of women in art—and why she deserves renewed attention today. Perfect for art historians, educators, feminists, and those curious about overlooked women in art history.




Discover how Sirani redefined the female gaze



Learn about her innovative use of theatrical storytelling



Explore why her feminist vision remains urgent and inspiring





Download the Reclaim Your Gaze guide here: https://karinmerx.co.uk/see-yourself-again/



Watch this Episode on https://youtybe.com/@karinmerxfineart



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Welcome back to Art Talk, and Part 2 of The Gaze Reclaimed. In this episode, we delve into the extraordinary life of Artemisia Gentileschi, who transformed the depiction of women in Western art.



From the Renaissance to today, visual culture has shaped—and often violated—women's bodies. Art historian Catherine McCormack critiques this long history, revealing how so-called masterpieces often masked political power and patriarchal control behind myth and beauty.



But Artemisia changed the rules. A survivor, a painter, and a rebel, she reimagined the gaze—offering empathy, resistance, and power through brush and body.



Learn how Gentileschi reclaims biblical heroines and inserts herself as the protagonist—subverting the male gaze and reasserting the female subject.



Topics covered:




Titian, power, and imperial desire



Mythology as political propaganda



Artemisia’s Susannah and the Elders & Self-Portrait as a Lute Player



Reclaiming trauma through self-representation



Feminism and agency in early modern art




Subscribe for weekly episodes exploring art, power, and the people who shaped visual culture on their own terms.




Download our free guide on reclaiming the gaze in art history here



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The Gaze Reclaimed – Part 1: Looking Inward



Episode 96 of Art Talk | New Series Premiere



Welcome to The Gaze Reclaimed, a bold new series exploring how women—past and present—are reclaiming the right to see and be seen on their own terms.



In this deeply personal opening episode, artist and cultural philosopher Artsy invites you into an intimate reflection on self-portraiture, vulnerability, and the quiet rebellion of women who dared to depict themselves throughout history. From Artemisia Gentileschi to Faith Ringgold, we begin to unearth the hidden power of the female gaze.



This isn’t just art history—it’s a movement.A reclamation of vision. Of voice. Of self.



Download your free self-portrait guide and join the community conversations. New course launches in September.Watch this episode on YouTube

In episode 95, the last episode in the series of Why Old Masters Matter To Artists Today 3. In this episode I go in learning how to see: Style, Technique and….Secrets, with Rembrandt on my side.








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Why Old Masters Matter to Artists II: Leonardo da Vinci & the Power of Observation



In Episode 94 of Art Talk, we dive deep into the timeless art of observation—through the eyes of one of history’s greatest minds: Leonardo da Vinci.



This episode explores how Da Vinci’s approach to seeing the world can radically transform your own creative process. In an age of instant gratification and visual overload, learning to slow down and truly observe is more powerful—and more necessary—than ever.



We’ll unpack how Leonardo’s method of deep observation shaped his art, and how modern artists can apply these same principles to create more intentional, meaningful work. This conversation invites you to ask better questions, see beyond the surface, and move past merely copying what’s in front of you.




* Notebooks Leonardo Da Vinci



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Episode 93 of Art Talk is the start of a short series where I talk about why old masters matter to artists today. In this episode I briefly discus why they matter, what you can learn from them, why they were great and how they are our silent mentors.



If you as artist are struggling with colour, I have a great colour course available at https://onlineartseducation.co.uk/course/colour-for-artists/




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