Taking Her Power Back: Griselly Goris Art
In today's society, women are taking their power back in more ways than one. Women are no longer satisfied with playing the role of the submissive and meek, they are standing up and taking charge. This is exemplified by women who are taking control of their lives, careers, and relationships.
One such woman is Griselly, a Latina artist from NYC who has worked hard to achieve her success. After 4 years of being mute, Griselly made the decision to attend therapy and take control of her life. Her therapist asked her to identify a medium that could help her to express herself. It was at that moment that Griselly found art. Art gave her a voice and an escape route from life. She recognized that she had the power to change her situation and refused to be held back by fear and doubt.
We had the pleasure of meeting Griselly at the The Ecstatic magazine Birds of Paradise Event back in February. There, Griselly shared her journey of taking her power back. She spoke of how her work is influenced by her childhood and other folx experiences. One of my favorite pieces by Griselly, is based on her grandmother's passing. She always wanted to show her grandmother that art. When Griselly’s grandmother passed she felt that she was being greedy and wasn’t letting her grandmother properly rest. The piece shows her grandma's home in the Dominican republic. Griselly’s grandma loved her life and pushed her towards greatness. The piece used bold colors, butterflies, and black, gray and white contrast indicative of the transitions between earth and afterlife.
The challenges and grief Griselly faced helped her to fight against societal pressures . Griselly realized that she had to draw her dreams. It was imperative for Griselly to document her dreams in a journal. Butterflies visited her in her dreams and consistently created a door for her to escape. Griselly wants folx to feel loved, courageous and supported. She wants to eliminate the feelings of loneliness and inspire folx to think about life and the choices we're going to make.
One of the ways Griselly took her power back was by investing in herself. She found art as a means to build her confidence, and continues to improve her skills while networking with other professionals. Griselly admires creative collaborations. By focusing on her own growth and development, Griselly was able to regain her confidence and become the successful artist she is today.
When asked, “What’s one question you wished more people asked you?” Griselly stated that, “ I guess it would be aside from painting, are there any other types of art you like to do? I feel like people always expect artists to be limited to one type of art. I feel that a painter should also be able to pursue a singing career if they’d like without being limited or expected to stay in their lane . Art is about expression and being free to create whatever your heart desires. As much as I love painting and creating, I love writing poetry and music and aspire to work on an interactive album where both my art and music meet in the middle.
Griselly’s advice to new and upcoming artists is to “ always explore and not be afraid to try different mediums and styles , to always challenge yourself and continue to push your limits , never get comfortable, always thrive to push your limits and ideas. I’ve been often told that I don’t have a style and that no artist does , but I cease to believe otherwise I think every artist has a style , style doesn’t only mean technique , it could also be an artist’ identity/mindset , the way their mind puts together ideas or how they put mediums together in a piece . Remember to always let loose , flow through your art , don’t care what others say . Whether it takes you 30 tries or 3 hours to draw one object, remember that you have control. The art moves when you move.”
Griselly's story is a testament to the power of taking control of one's life. She refused to be held back by her circumstances and instead chose to take charge. Her story is inspiring and serves as a reminder to women everywhere that they too have the power to change their lives
In conclusion, Griselly's story is just one example of the power of taking control of one's life. Women everywhere are recognizing their own strength and taking their power back. With the support of publications like Ecstatic Magazine and MLNNNYC, women are breaking down barriers and shattering stereotypes. It's time for women to stand up, take charge, and make their mark on the world.