Hathor’s Tribe: Who is your muse, who inspires you?
Anais Petra: I don't think I have a muse. There are many people/events/views that
have inspired me, but all my art comes spontaneously. I don't feel a
source.
Hathor’s Tribe: Are you a visual artist, writer, or musician or film maker?
Anais Petra: I am a visual artist, writer, and musician.
Hathor’s Tribe: Do you work in other creative venues?
.Anais Petra: I volunteered doing sound engineering for a company that makes
children stories. They had old reel to reels.
Hathor’s Tribe: What artists have influenced your work?
Anais Petra:Coil, Sappho, Tori Amos, Sheila Nicholls, Marta Wiley, Anaïs Nin, Ani
Difranco, Frida Kahlo, Proust.... many, many artists...
Hathor’s Tribe: At what age did you have an interest in art, and when did you first
realize you would be an artist?
Anais Petra:My mother tells me I was singing and drawing in the dirt as soon as I
had the ability. I don' remember when I started, so I believe her. At
tea time when I was a little girl I was questioned as to what I
wanted to do when I grew up and I said an artist.
Hathor’s Tribe: Do you plan out your work before you do it, or does it evolve
organically?
Anais Petra: It evolves on its own
Hathor’s Tribe: Is there a mental process? do you have a question to ask or answer?
Anais Petra: There is not a mental process, unless you count the trance state I
often am in when composing music. I do sometimes find the answers to
questions in my songs or books, but at the time I write I am not
consciously out to *do* anything.
Hathor’s Tribe: If you have had formal training, do you feel your educational
process hindered your artistic expression in anyway?
Anais Petra:
Hathor’s Tribe: Do you use the creative process to express your internal conflicts or
to purge yourself of emotions?
Anais Petra: Yes. I will go to my piano on a terrible day, and pound out the
tension. My neighbor says he can always tell what mood I am in by the
music he hears me playing.
Hathor’s Tribe: If so, do you feel that art can be a kind of therapy?
Anais Petra: I find it to work better for me than a therapist.
Hathor’s Tribe: What is your opinion about the current art movements which focus
on dark imagery?
Anais Petra: I think I may fall into the dark imagery crowd, at least with my
music and writing (My painting tends to be very happy). My opinion is
that it is good to allow yourself to feel how you need to feel to
transcend the experience. If that means writing 100 records of anger
and sorrow then it was necessary. I think it is much healthier to
expose "dirty" things than hide them with smiles. When people know
it's there, they can fix it.
But, I like my little ponies too, so I believe in balance.
Hathor’s Tribe: Do you make art for yourself, or do you have a market in mind?
Anais Petra: I make it for myself. If I ever find a market I'll be happy though,
since that would give me more resources to do what I love to do.
Hathor’s Tribe: Do you believe that art has a higher purpose, other than to decorate
a room?
Anais Petra: Yes.
Hathor’s Tribe: If so, please explain?
Anais Petra: I think it helps people feel, which in a plastic society where so
many people lead expressionless lives (work mindless repetitive jobs,
go home and watch tv, sleep, repeat) is quite important. Too many
people are cut off from themselves and the world. I also find it
healing.
Hathor’s Tribe: If you could meet any artist from the past who would it be?
Anais Petra: Jhonn Balance, of Coil
Hathor’s Tribe: In what way do you want to be remembered?
Anais Petra: In a complicated way.