Elements of Sexy

My creative vision is an extension of my soul and for as long as I can remember, I’ve been driven by an innate sensuality. I endeavor to create with that sensuality in a way that empowers and evokes confidence in my audience.

From the fluidity of the watercolors that I lay on the fibers of my salt-scrubbed, hot pressed paper, to the lengths of elegant, golden chains that I cut and bead and secure with delicate findings, I find myself searching for new ways to create art that makes my audience feel alluring... sexy.

In an effort to make my art stronger, I thought it would be helpful to know what makes someone tap into that place of confidence and strength that I so often refer to as 'sexy'. I decided to get straight to the point and started asking people.  I figured that if I can gain an understanding of what gives someone that va va voom kick in their step, I would be able to translate that energy to my art.

This is an ongoing project, but I’ve already learned more than I imagined.  Through various mediums, I posed the question: What makes you feel sexy?  I didn’t define the word ‘sexy,’ I left that interpretation to the individual answering the question.  I assured people that I would not exploit their answers, I just wanted to compile this information so that I could enhance my body of work and in turn, inspire others. 

So far, I’ve asked men and women, ages 23 to 65.  I created a spreadsheet separated by age and gender and I started to look for similarities and patterns in the responses.  I thought that understanding this information would guide me to create more sensual art, but what I’m discovering through this process is far more profound.  Essentially, I’m compiling a treasure trove of inspiration, from bare feet on the sand to the feeling of warm island breezes blowing through wild, untamed hair, to lingerie and smiles, dancing naked in the rain, career success, personal accomplishments, laughter, experience, inner light… each sexy description is just as unique as the person who shares it.  

What I find interesting is that some of the responses are extremely tangible while others are more abstract. As I was trying to make sense of it all, someone turned the table and asked me the same thing:  What makes you feel sexy?  You’d think I would have already had that answer locked and loaded, but I really had to think about it.  I created a mental checklist of things that are a given for me: walking barefoot on the sand, a warm trade wind breeze blowing through my untamed hair, silk fabrics caressing my skin... but then I responded with, “hmmm… I need some time to think about this.”  

Later that night, I swam alone under the midnight moon, just lazily enjoying the feeling of effortlessness as the water supported my body and offered me a space to move as organically and freely as the universe intended.  As I swam, I thought about that question: What makes me feel sexy?

I thought back to an event that I hosted a couple of months ago.  It was a jewelry trunk show and a book reading, where I recited Part One from Sketches from the Heart of a Texas Artist: The Sketchbook.  As I waded in the pool, I reminisced upon the remarks of a friend of mine who had attended the event.  After my reading, she came to me and said with enthusiasm, “Girl, you lit up when you were reading!”  She was right.  As I read, I could feel my spirit awaken.  As I read the words that I wrote, the words that came from my heart, and then shared them with an audience; when I bared my soul and presented my art, raw and vulnerable, to an attentive audience... that made me feel sexy!  I checked in with my soul and understood that it didn’t stop with that book reading.  Anytime I complete a work of art and have the opportunity to share it, I feel sexy.

These thoughts tumbled through my mind as I floated in the moonlit pool.  I excitedly dived down to the bottom and did a somersault before I found the cement floor and pressed my feet against it to launch myself back to the surface.  As I emerged to the night sky and inhaled the warm, summer night’s air, I felt exceptionally sensuous.  Then, it all came together. I took note that my energy was vibrating high as I soaked in the dark water, evoking that confidence that I crave.  I’m a Scorpio. My astrological element is water, but personally, my element is creativity. When I'm succeeding in a creative realm, I light up and soar.  So my answer to the question… what makes me feel sexy?  When I’m in my element.

Later, when I analyzed my ‘sexy’ spreadsheet, my discovery made sense, that we feel our most powerful and confident when we are in our elements.  It’s such a personal place but also a universal idea, that we all truly want to be ourselves and exist within our most honest state, in a place where we know who we are and how to be our best, most exciting, alluring, and passionate selves.

I'm fascinated as I continue to gather this information with newfound insight.  When someone is open enough to share with me what ignites their soul, my heart soars.  I absolutely love hearing people talk about what lights them up and radiates their spirit.  How this will help me in my studio?  I’m sure it’s transitive.  I write a lot about ‘following your adventurous heart’ and accepting your hero’s journey.  When I write about that, what I am suggesting is living a life of curiosity and paying attention to the things that excite you.  If you allow yourself to tap into that adventurous spirit and surrender to a life of that kind of passion, you’ll find yourself in your element and will undoubtedly exist within a realm of sensual allure and vivacious empowerment.

and on that note... I'm going to go swim some laps ;)

Xo,

Margaret Elizabeth Hulse