I've come away from last weekend feeling completely changed as an artist. To be honest I feel a bit overwhelmed as I hadn't considered the possibility that 2 days of painting could have such a profound effect on my work. My goal for the weekend was to play and to be open. To give myself the gift of time and space. To take what Flora had to give and embrace it with all my heart and soul.
There were occasional moments when I felt myself tensing up, or worrying about time, or getting attached to the outcomes, but then I'd just take a deep breath and tell myself to let it all go. I'd go for a walk in the idyllic surrounds and listen to the birds or feed a horse an apple. For the most part I felt so completely relaxed all weekend. I felt a peace that I haven't felt in quite a while. Isn't that always when the best shifts happen?
At the same time though the weekend felt like some kind of homecoming. As I played and experimented and totally indulged in Flora's process of layering and mark-making, of adding colour and taking it away, I felt a rhythm take hold. It all made such perfect sense. This, I thought, is exactly the way I was always meant to paint. Intuitively, passsionately and with wild abandon.
Untitled {as yet}
Acrylics on canvas
30 x 30 inch
*all the photos in this post are of the same painting at various stages of its evolution. It was amazing to watch it unfold. Flora talked about not thinking too much and letting the paintings emerge of their own accord. I totally got it!
