Art is not only part of my life – it gives my life purpose. Creating something on a canvas or giving life to a character on stage, allows me to process feelings and emotions and after the completion or even during the process, achieve an inner balance and harmony.
I believe when acting or painting, you are trying to transfer feelings or a state of mind and that should be channeled from real emotions and experiences, so that the artist allows the viewer, not only to see them live through these emotions, but to feel with them.
As an Artist, your own experience and struggles are a tool, to create an authentic base, which can be used to expand on. To convey genuine emotions to an audience it is useful to draw from own experiences, although this being the most challenging skill for an actor, to not let personal feelings overwhelm you, it is also our biggest tool.