Exploring my emotions through art.
I decided to try something new in my art for the start of 2022. Painting using my emotions. I’ve heard other artists talk of this and was intrigued. A long story short- you have to get to know yourself properly, so I set off on a mission to figure out my inner workings- what I liked and disliked and what sort of a person I am and how I became that person. Once you’ve done a deep dive on yourself there’s no going back. In the end it was very cathartic but in the middle of the process it was quite a challenge I can tell you! But, I now know what makes me. Part of the practice is putting words down that describe you/your emotions, mine were - sensitive, mercurial, emotional, solitary, freedom, independence, strength, vulnerability, calm and dark. All these words used to describe times of my life that has shaped me, all these words and emotions of each to let flow into my paintings.
I prepared 12 canvas boards (I know, a lot for one sitting) and set to work pouring oil and turps and getting into flow state incredibly quickly. Letting the emotions wash through me over and over. It’s been three weeks now and four paintings are completed. I’m so tired but god I’m happy! The paintings are like nothing I’ve ever created before. I went into the most sensitive areas of my soul and created a blanket of calm and compassion. Here is the result:
Once I started I just couldn’t stop, flow state came almost immediately and I’m not sure I will paint any other way again. The other paintings are at various stages in their layers. Sometimes I wait for the oil to really dry before I create another layer, sometimes I’ll go back in with some turps when its nearly dry and distort the scene.
Although the paintings are pure emotion they are abstracts of my favourite landscape and how I have felt at different times when I have been walking over the fields, woods and marshes I love so much.
