Deliberate Creation - Monique Montez
I’ve been a performer for 26 years. When Covid hit in March, my 26 years of career was put on hold. My work in the corporate arena, luxury cruise ships travelling the world stopped. Overnight!
I went to bed and didn’t get out. Well, at one point I had to, my little girl Ruby needed me to suddenly become her teacher! What WAS that? Home schooling? No thank you!
I started to watch movies, and in one—The Notebook—Rachel says ‘I don’t paint anymore’. Something clicked in me. I don’t make art anymore. Why? And then another thought…..Why Not!
When I was a child living in Oberon, regional NSW, I knew I needed to travel out of that world, and into the world of the bright lights big city. I made art pieces and, with the money I earned selling these pieces, it gave me the choice to move to the crazy shiny world of full-time performing.
Who would have thought that 26 years later I would find my way back to my art and that it would save me once again, in oh so many different ways! My emotions and feelings at this point led me to affirmations of many things. To empower me with—strength, love, family, abundance, power, self-worth and kindness.
I discovered macramé, no not the old 70’s hanging plant holder style you’re all thinking of right now?! Fibre Art …..twining and knotting formations—a total reinvention of this art form.
My art became Deliberate Creation—a deliberate intention—of empowerment. Reclaiming mindfulness that I had lost for a moment with the challenges of 2020. With every twist, every knot, every bead and strand, I found myself giving each piece an affirmation, an intention of hope and the start of focusing on the good.
Infusing pieces—timber and beads with lavender or rosewater—again helping me and hopefully helping you to feel calmer, more relaxed and to give you the power to ease yourself into the new normal.
Finding timber, twine, leaves and flowers as I gently walked, encouraged me to move again. To feel the sunshine and fresh air again. And as I walked, I allowed my mental health to improve with the wonders of nature, to feel the spark of positivity within …again.
Thank you for embracing my Deliberate Creation.
Sensory Art
BRINGING THE FIVE SENSES TOGETHER
Message from Monique
I want to share with you my point of difference with these designs and creations. Sensory Art gives reaction to our 5 senses bringing us to a feeling and place of mindfulness. Taking it right back to nature and what we humans all have in common as a tribe.
MINDFULLNESS
Sight⏤Vision is our strongest sense followed closely by sound. In your first reaction to something beautiful, you are strongly influenced by what you see. My handmade, unique pieces of art are made with love and the intention of mindfully enhancing the spaces in your home or place of meditation and quiet.
Sound⏤In a state of quiet and conscientiousness, you can hear each piece of Deliberate Creation. With each twist of the cord, each knot made, each infused bead added—an affirmation is spoken. A personal note is sent with every piece with the story of the affirmations woven within the piece. This makes each piece a deliberate creation of my own conscientiousness and intentions, of which I’m proud.
Smell⏤Some of the stunning collection pieces I have created for Deliberate Creation, have wooden beads. These beads are infused with lavender or rosewater, making the piece come to life. Natural timber also used has its own unique bouquet adding to the therapeutic nature of sensory art and taking these pieces to the next level.
Taste⏤If you’re looking at this site, you obviously have good taste! And to add to this ‘Taste’ heading some of my pieces are dyed in boiled avocado and rhubarb. Plus, the use of lavender and rosewater all helps to give sensory art it’s uniquely natural style and expression.
Touch⏤The dictionary describes touch as ‘the sense by which anything material is perceived’. With sensory art—the textural feel of merino wool, recycled cottons and fibres, natural timber, infused beads and woven jute make perfect use of our human sense of touch. An extremely important and fundamental part of my Deliberate Creation pieces.
I hope you enjoy my passion of Deliberate Creation.
Join us for the opening of D/O.72 Deliberate Creation on
Thursday June 8th from 5-7pm
Monique’s work will be on display from
June 8th through June 24th at Disorder Gallery