“What is reflected in the forms, images, and colours is the by-product of a journey that has taken place on an inner landscape.”
Passages Series.
An Art School Story: Connecting Symbols and Narrative
Ideas for the Passages Series were inspired by two preliminary sketches roughly drawn on scraps of paper during a long train commute back to university. The first sketch idea titled; ‘Haunted Awakening’ can be seen in the above art story at the top of the page (the image of a figure kneeling in an archway).
After the initial oil painting ‘Haunted Awakening’ was created from one of the train-ride sketches mentioned above, the preceding Passages paintings were never sketched out or planned ahead of time.
Each painting began with an image, symbol, or line directly added to the canvas, reflected upon, altered, and then set aside for future exploration.
From this spontaneous and contemplative process emerged more stylized symbols to support the narrative, often repeated and developed within future paintings. These images were sketched post painting (as seen above) to capture and archive the personal story elements I explored and imagined. Often the imagery continued to evolve and change within the painting itself, or at other times, I just completely painted over the original painting and began anew.
“Painting is the passage from the chaos of emotions to the order of the possible.”
The larger-scale size of these painted sketchbook studies and later exhibition captured a personal journey of hope, struggle, perseverance, and resilience, inviting presence into this space as the viewer witnessed an imaginary world where ordinary objects were elevated and juxtaposed within the narrative context (an interplay of inside and outside elements).
As an art therapist I understand the value of providing a title for our art pieces that capture an additional layer of meaning and emotional and relational context at the time of creation. From that lens, viewing this old art work and the titles I wove into the narrative for my exhibition, prompts further reflection and wondering about expression and intention… so long ago…
… Haunted Awakening… A Spirit Within a Neutral Space… Silent Denial… Solitary Core… Voiceless in the Presence of Reality… Obscure Autonomy… Shadows Taller than our Souls… Traces of Reality… Dance of Survival… Transient Season… Heartless Reality… The Burning Air… Memories Remains… Pleasure of the Unexpected… A Beauty that Few Can Feel…
Words and titles that captured my feelings of sadness, loss, struggle, determination and hope (from the lived experience in my final year of university when the aftermath of a bike accident impacted my health, educational achievement, and ability to focus on my art… and for a time even create my art ).
“A picture is not thought out and settled beforehand. While it is being done it changes as one thoughts change, and when it is finished, it still goes on changing according to the state of mind of whoever is looking at it.”