I’m trying to find the right words!
Explaining what is going on behind my Spell paintings involves expressing lots of research, materials, resources and ideas I’ve been gathering over years but in a loose way- mainly without names and dates! And now I’m trying to go back and make sense of it all, and explain how it all meets in the compositions of my paintings.
There’s lots of historical background- covering the witch trials, the introduction of capitalism, enclosure, the history of power. There’s the disconnection from nature, which although we might feel it keenly now, is not a modern phenomenon. There’s spirituality, the Enlightenment’s influence on how we see ourselves. The role of intuition, awe and wonder as part of mental wellbeing and healing. And that’s before we even get onto patriarchy and feminism! Let alone all the fascinating natural ecology of the items featured in my paintings, coupled with our relationship to the climate crisis and how that all circles back to where we started!
Phew!
I tried to write the thinking like an essay, but got frustrated. The ideas were so big and interconnected that it was too tricky to limit them to a linear format. So I went back to my old friend the mind-map. No wonder I didn’t know where to begin!
My husband took a look at all the things in my head committed to paper as he came into the studio and said it looked like the workings of a serial killer from a Scandi thriller! He may have a point!
Seeing all the themes and how they connect has been super useful for me however (and not yet resulted murder). It’s helped me see that there are MANY avenues into explaining my work. I can start from an ecological, historical, personal, spiritual, or practical point, and each will take you through other interrelated areas- after all everything IS connected!
I love to share the story behind the work and the significance of my process.
If you would like me to come and speak to your group or organisation and share the magic, spark meaningful conversations, ask important questions and turn it all back to thinking about you, your place in the world and your impact here and now, just let me know!
Click here to discuss your event and what I can bring to it!
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