My Emotions and Me by Art-Mella
Emotions and mental health in young readers is such an important topic at the moment. Author and illustrator, Art-Mella has taken some time to answer our questions about her book, My Emotions and Me.
1. What research did you undertake before beginning to write and draft your book?
Actually, my research into emotions wasn’t in order to write a book. It was because I was struggling with my own emotions that I began to start researching them.
When I began working and was trying to find my place in the world, I noticed I was sometimes completely controlled by my emotions, sometimes overwhelmed by them and sometimes feeling blocked by them, which led to self-sabotaging. And all that was very painful.
As I was trying to find a solution, I read the book Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg, and I attended the foundation training course to be able to express my emotions better. As I was searching for a more meaningful connection with the planet, I also trained with Bernard Alonso who specializes in humane permaculture (a way of seeing life where humans have an active role in the balance of the planet, and find their place by developing their innate gifts).
On my journey towards better understanding the mind-body connection, I followed the teachings of a Vietnamese Master in qi gong and mediation for four years. I also practised Taichi, Wing Chun kung-fu, and yoga.
As I lost my zest for life, I also did the program The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
To be able to overcome my self-sabotage mechanisms, I also trained in emotional freeing techniques, hypnosis and auto-hypnosis, and I also saw a therapist from time to time.
As I felt better, I became very curious about the possibilities offered by a better understanding of how human beings work and human capabilities, so I attended different types of conferences, including Byron Katie’s conferences and workshops about energetics, quantum healing and quantum theories.
All these approaches and tools really helped me, and I went from a place where I was an artist full of doubts, shame and blockages, having no self-trust, and minimal income, to a place where I was making my dreams come true, being invited to draw live during conferences and earning money from my art.
When I had my first comic book published, I thought to myself, “It would have saved me so much time if I was able to learn all these techniques and principles before!” So I decided to make a comic book to share the tools and knowledge that helped me the most. And that’s what My Emotions and Me is about.
2. Were there any facts or pieces of information that surprised you?
Yes, a lot actually! I knew so little and I learned a lot. And I enjoyed being surprised by every new thing I learned. But here are two pieces of information that were key for me in the beginning of my journey:
When I was following the Vietnamese qi gong meditation master, one day, he guided us through a relaxation practice and said, “When to relax your tongue, you relax the part of the brain responsible for language, and thus you have fewer thoughts.” In that moment, I thought, “Wow! This guy is teaching me how I work! It’s almost like reading an operating manual! Why didn’t I learn this at school or when I was a kid?”
I also really liked the permacultural vision of people contributing to the balance of the planet by being who they really are, cultivating their innate gifts and offering them to the world. When I first learned about this concept, I was seeing human beings as a virus on the planet, so it really helped me reconciliate being human and being me… which was a good start towards loving myself rather than hating myself!
3. What made you decide to create a graphic novel?
Drawing is a skill I’ve developed because I’ve enjoyed it ever since I was a kid. So, when it came to sharing information, the easiest method for me was to make comic strips, because I think very visually.
I find it very powerful, and it’s a fun and easy way for people to have access to information.
I can also condense a lot of information into a few strips. I feel that using symbols addresses the right brain and the subconscious more directly than words only. There are also some words for the left brain in my comics, as I think this keeps a good balance between using the left and right brain.
I also used to work in the 2D/3D animation industry. I remember reading one of Dave MacKean’s graphic novels one day: it was beautiful… almost like seeing an animation.
Animations are great. I love this artform, but it either takes a lot of time or you need a whole team of people with you to produce just a few minutes’ worth.
So I see graphic novels as an interesting way of telling stories that’s similar to an animation, but much more economical. It’s something I can do alone, without having to find the budget for a whole team.
4. Are you a fan of comics and graphic novels?
Yes, I’m a big fan of comics and graphic novels!
I really like Penelope Bagieux and Catherine Meurise’s very diverse graphic novels about music, art, nature and feminism; Thimothé le Bouchet (whose work is in the thriller genre); the biography of Riad Sattouf; Aurelia Aurita’s work which shares her perspective on life; the explorative style of Camille Jourdy; the incredible universes of Jim Bishop (it’s really like seeing an animation!); Beauté and Peau d’homme by Hubert; Song of The Long March by Xia Da; all Tanigushi’s mangas… and so much more! Each time I go to the library, I come back with a whole pile of comic books! And I like discovering and buying original artwork in this style, being mesmerized by it.
5. How long did it take you to plan and format the book?
For volume 1 of My Emotions and Me, it took me about nine months to have a storyboard that I was happy with. I wasn’t working on it full-time because I was also working as a freelance illustrator and travelling at the same time. Then, it took me about two full months to clean the drawings and colourise it.
6. What do you hope that readers will take from reading My Emotions and Me?
I hope they will be able to find some useful tools for their everyday life, resources to help them face life’s challenges – big or small – and ways to better understand themselves and create a joyful life more easily.
My Emotions and Me by Art-Mella is published by Summersdale Publishers.
