In an effort to stay more connected with the work I create, and to provide insight for those who enjoy my art, I am beginning a project called Piece of the Week. This will involve sharing photos of recent or current work once a week, along with random thoughts or feelings that I associate with the particular piece. My brain tends to be a little all over the place, so bear with me. It is basically just an experiment for myself and my artwork, but I hope that perhaps other people may be able to relate to my work in a new way, share their thoughts, or find value in my personal reflections. This is my first post.
Outrush
5” x 5”, Casein on Teak Wood
Almost all of the wood that I use for my artwork is up-cycled or recycled, however you want to say it. I scour the internet on places like Etsy and Craigslist for scrap wood, reclaimed wood, or found wood. Recently, I came across an Etsy shop that had a listing for teak wood scraps. They were already cut into 5'“ 5” squares, have a beautiful grain, and are thicker than the wood I typically get my hands on. I’ve got ten pieces that I would like to turn into paintings. This is the first one that I have completed so far.
I’ve titled this piece Outrush, which, if you look up on Google, is basically defined as a violent outflow. When I hear the word outrush, I think of water, or even lava. I think of a brain bursting at the seams with unspoken thoughts. To me, this piece feels like an outpouring of mixed emotions that are still being held back in some way. It is like the tenseness that builds up in your forearms as you start to form a fist, and squeeze your hands so tight that they could disintegrate. When I am feeling tense, it is one of my favorite times to sit down and paint. The pieces that I create in this state usually involve little thinking until after I’ve made a mess, and then let the paint dry. At this time, I revisit the piece to add detail with a clear mind, adding some control to the chaos.
For this piece in particular, I really wanted to capture the sense that an emotion has been frozen in time. Think of a time that you felt something really strongly, imagine what that emotion would look like in shape, color or texture, and then hit the pause button. Picture that blob of emotion twisting, turning, and evolving, and then what it would look like if you were able to freeze it in place. I want this piece to convey a sense of strong, fiery energy that has been frozen in place. However, I also realize that everyone interprets shape, line, color and texture differently, which is one of the reasons I have really begun to love and appreciate abstract styles of painting.
If you have any thoughts to add, feel free to leave a comment! And if you are interested in this piece or just chatting further, I can be reached at contact@rosieread.com
Peace.