Below are three images of a single painting at different stages of its development.
The painting begins with a free emotional expression.
A concept emerges and adds meaning to the expression.
The final painting is a stylized version of the concept.
But why do I paint over my messes? What if the mess is the art?
Second painting of an emerging triptych.
Gateway 2. Acrylic on wood panel. 12” square.
Gateway. Acrylic on wood panel. 12” square. This piece is both masculine and feminine. The brush strokes are free, and the shapes are solid, almost sculptural. Ten layers of paint add texture, complexity, and emotion.
DESTROYED.
I went in loose, got tight in the middle, then let go in the end. Result: The most honest painting I’ve made in three years.
“Bloom.” Acrylic on wood panel. 12” square.
Last week, a Common Grackle dropped into my bath through a hole in the ceiling. For 20 minutes my house felt like this painting. Then he flew out the open door, full of joy and vigor.
“Black Bird.“ Acrylic on wood panel. 12” square. First piece from the wild side.
I’m struggling with my art. Over the past half year, I’ve tried to combine hard-edge and expressionist marks. I love the work, but it feels split.
My focus now is on the experience of painting. Entering the unknown. Sensing my way through. Relating to the work rather than controlling or conquering it.
Call it right-brain, intuitive, or process painting; it all means the same thing. I’m going to paint from the divine feminine. From curiosity, sensation, and wonder. Whole-bodied and heart-centered from my genderless soul. Let’s watch together and see what emerges from the mighty feminine within.
Making art helps me come alive in the marvelous now. In art making and in life, I am excited about the wonder of evolution and change. My ego sometimes resists that. It likes to hide and pretend it is a victim. Currently, I am excited about becoming a survivor hero. I love my ego. I love all my parts. My True Self says to my ego: "I love you, I want you here with me, and you are safe. Will you please release the victim role and become the survivor hero you already are?" I'm excited about guiding this experience and watching it unfold in the Studio.
Appearances in local press for a recent group show:
Daily Progress, January 11, 2023.
Cville Weekly, January 11-17, 2023.
Inside a cherry is a stone. Inside the stone is a seed. If you seek peace, choose the seed, not the stone.
I thought this painting would be hopeful. Along the way, it became dark and real. I like that.
“Seed and Stone.” 36 x 36 inches. Acrylic on canvas.
The Phoenix series featured at McGuffey Art Center.
Photo: Susan McCulley
