Artist Statement for Perspectives and Reflections Collection

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Perspectives and Reflections depicts the relationship between the hidden and revealed self, light and dark, and the embrace of landscape.

 

Each work links with the others forming a narrative of my life showing how the bright outward self sometimes hides an entirely different truth. The bright engraved acrylics depict the outer self the world sees, while the painting underneath is the larger personality, often hiding darker realities. The Johari Window Theory states that withheld secrets are a normal part of communication, but these concealments are by choice. The inner person compared to the outer person are still reflections of each other, whereas an emotional disassociation causes locked-up despair to dominate inner thoughts and dreams, while the outward person may still seem ‘unaffected’. Disassociation is difficult to reverse, but Perspectives and Reflections document the journey from a disassociated childhood with sealed emotions, to a circumstance where the complete person reflects both inwardly and outwardly.    

 

Landscape acts as a metaphor; I see identity and personality within rocks and waters, translating my work into a myriad of urban and flora studies. Trees depict endurance with their grown-over bark scarred by years of elemental exposure. Rocks are sturdiness, protection and stability. Each painting in this collection depicts via a landscape either myself at a time of personal growth or a person who impacted and facilitated personal growth.

 

Perspectives and Reflections is about the journey of one person, but the experiences expressed within the art are not unique. Most of us hide our darkness and show only our “brighter, better” selves to the world. And many of us understand the struggle of trying to find the path back to “normalcy”, though sometimes it takes a lifetime to achieve.