MY SOULFUL PROCESS TO CREATE ART
My artwork reflects my life…
…surrounded by very painful and melancholic memories, as well as many happy and wonderful experiences.
It's a testament to living open-heartedly in a world that paints our stories with shades of joy and unbearable heartache.
I believe art speaks to the soul, some days like a soft whisper and other days like a loud roar. It opens an internal dialogue and mirrors my emotions of the moment. I think our best work is done when we are truly authentic - whether we are happy, sad, anxious, or upset… Allowing these emotions to come onto the canvas is when I am most alive.
I begin with just a word, a sentence, a fragment of a poem, a thought, or an emotion. From the very first marks created with absolute freedom and curiosity, new perspectives unfold on the canvas. Each painting takes shape by adding many layers of paint and creating texture.
My marks and scribbles that emerge intuitively are like the scars and triumphs of life. Colour and line, movement and shapes are in constant dialogue, and it is the continuous adding and taking away that allows the ‘story’ to slowly emerge. What intrigues me the most, is the mystery of the scraping and sanding, revealing the layers underneath, along with the lines and marks that come by surprise.
“Outside of your comfort zone is where the magic happens.”
For me, it feels like a continuous dance. Each moment along the way has significance and may lead to a change in direction, allowing new ideas and creative impulses to emerge, embracing the unpredictable, while never abandoning my intuition. Beyond the burst of colors, layers, and marks is a soul-to-soul dialogue between you, me, and the vulnerability of the human experience.
Life is not always easy.
It is messy and hard and can wear us down. We are often faced with challenges and doubts, but all these things contribute to the story being told on the canvas and are necessary for our growth. It’s all about trusting myself and the process and letting go of any thoughts and worries. Then, everything else falls away.
I’m often asked how I know when a painting is finished
I just ‘know’…or; I take it into our dining room and let it sit with me – sometimes for days. We simply stare at each other but, most often, the painting will tell me something. It is at these moments where it gives me direction on what it wants me to do, and I don’t stop until I sense the piece has said all it wants to say.
When you bring my art into your space, my hope is to evoke an emotional response or a memory, leaving lots of room for your own imagination and interpretation. You’re not just adding a conversation piece to your walls, but a beautiful testament to bravery, growth, and the layers of vulnerability.
I invite you to look again and again, to discover what you didn’t see the first or second time. Just as in life, look within, “below the surface,” for your own truth. My wish is that each piece touches you deeply and beckons you to explore with your soul.
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