With our series “An artist’s life.” we want to share the stories of the people behind the art.
Carmen Jedinger, founder of Antara Atelier in Portugal, invites us into a world where art, femininity, and presence flow together. On a quiet beach, she reflects on what it means to live life as a work of art.
“How can I embody art as part of my life? When Anastasiia took these photos on a remote little beach in Portugal, I felt clear and present in myself and my body. I felt anchored in my feminine energy, and for some brief moments, I forgot everything that didn’t correspond to the art of my life.
So, how can life become a piece of art? Something that is a pure expression of your authentic energy, and something that is unapologetically you?
This question played in my mind when I was solo traveling the world. It was present when I started my own business with Antara Atelier, and it laid the foundation for a life in freedom. Because life as a work of art must be free.
This work of art is not limited to a single medium – it is embodied poetry that flows between ceremony, movement, nature, and self-exploration. And when I admired the results of the photo shoot a few days later, I realized that my womanhood, the primal energy of my femininity, is not limited to one form of expression either. Moving as a woman, standing up for myself in the world, expressing myself, being sexual and sensual often feels like a small act of rebellion.
Being free. Being a rebel. Being an artist. These photos express all of this for me, and they remind me that we make choices every day that bring us closer to freedom or further away from it. They remind me that art can only exist in the presence of the moment, and that the gentle curves of a woman’s body harbour so much artistic expression and life and strength.
“Slowness is rebellion, water is sacred, and presence is the ultimate creative act.”
The ocean, or water in general, always reminds me of this expression of life and of our freedom. When I was looking out to the horizon during the photoshoot, there were moments when I slipped into a state of complete emptiness in my mind. The ocean represents an endless dark space of infinite possibilities, and in this space the frequency of every potential already exists. Whatever we put our focus on, whatever we are fully present with, will be nourished with energy and therefore can manifest in our lives. Water is the holy grail of creative power, just like our lives are, and our inner oceans represent the same infinite possibilities, and I think that this is one of the reasons humans feel so drawn to water.
My company Antara Atelier – Antara means ‘within’ or ‘the inner self’ in Sanskrit – is my homage to the sacred in everyday life. It is a space of remembering – remembering that gentleness is strength, slowness is rebellion, water is sacred, and presence is the ultimate creative act. From this perspective, I offer retreats, ceremonies, mentorings, and storytelling that reflect a life of connection with the earth and the spirit, the body and the universe.
And I hope it serves as a reminder to live life as artistically as possible. To express your idea of art in the most authentic way. Because if everyone lives life as a piece of art, once we zoom out and look at the collective picture, wouldn’t it be the most mesmerizing and beautiful collage that can ever be created?”
photography by Anastasiia Yarova-Suvorina
Words and Artist: @antara.atelier
Photography by @an.yarova.photography