When I create, I often find myself needing to pause and reflect on why I’m doing what I do. It's easy to lose sight of the purpose behind my art, especially in the middle of making a series for upcoming exhibitions. I rarely have a fixed plan—I just go with what feels right in the moment. But sometimes, I need to reassess to stay on the invisible track I've imagined for myself.
I sometimes struggle to remember the message behind my paintings. Do they need their own story, or is it my subconscious speaking through the canvas? Epiphanies come out of nowhere, and I have to write them down quickly before they vanish. Is this my neuro/meno brain, or is it just how all creative minds work?
This morning, surrounded by nine large paintings in various stages of evolution, I’m trying to pinpoint the overall theme of my work. There are colours, shapes, and botanical forms, but I often don't know why I paint what I do. Why do these specific images appear on the canvas?
Fellow creatives, do you find it important to know why you create what you do, or do you just trust that if it comes from your soul, it’s enough? I’m curious. Do you ever wish you could evoke the emotions that other artists do and feel envious of their impact? I often find myself in awe of other creatives' work and aspire to touch hearts the way they do.
As I ponder this morning, I remind myself why I paint what I paint:
Colours I choose nostalgic colours that transport me to different times, places, and feelings in my life.
Patterns and Botanicals I love the contrast between formal patterns and wild botanicals. Patterns provide a sense of control, while wild botanicals represent freedom and the lack of control in nature.
Light and Dark I explore the contrasts between light and dark, believing that darkness highlights the beauty of light.
Layers My fascination with layers reflects the human experience. As we journey through life, we shed old skins and adopt new personas, each a unique combination of our layered experiences.
Florals Although florals may seem pretty and cute, they often annoy me. I imagine Miranda Priestly's voice saying, "Women, painting florals, groundbreaking." This urge to break up the prettiness with harsher shapes is a rebellion against the expectation for women to be pretty and nice. I want my work to say more than that.
Music greatly influences my work, often providing a theme tune. If this current series had a theme tune, this would be one of them. I love these song lyrics and it feels like Summer. Edge of the Ocean by Ivy (listen here) There’s a place I dream about Where the sun never goes out And the sky is deep and blue Won’t you take me there with you Ooh, we can begin again Shed our skin to let the sunshine in At the edge of the ocean we can start over again There’s a world I’ve always known Somewhere far away from home When I close my eyes I see All the space and mystery Ooh we can begin again Shed our skin to let the sunshine in At the edge of the ocean We can start over again Taking this time to reflect reminds me why I create. For me, it’s a serious, worthwhile mission to put energetically uplifting work into the world. This is my small contribution in these crazy times. Happy Weekend x
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