Knowing

In my flurry of all the preparations for the show I did last month, there are actually several paintings that I never posted here on my blog, which is unusual. Since the inception of my blog, I have almost always written a post to go along with each painting. The writing has always been an important part of my process. A winding down. The final piece of the puzzle. But when you’re scrambling for time, something has to give. I wanted to post at least a few of my new paintings that I created in the past few months.

Knowing
encaustic mixed media
15×12 inches
sold

Horses, yeah, something not normally seen in my artwork. But actually through the years I have created a few horse themed paintings. I just never posted them or put them on my blog or website since they weren’t my usual and always thought that I needed to keep my strays to myself. My past horse paintings have been gifts for people in my life who are horse people. I had so much fun creating this piece, which brought an invigorating and rejuvenating energy back into my process. I had been feeling at a standstill, a block of sorts, and then I decided to do what I have always loved to do. Which is bringing in my photos with found materials and objects. I had to pull out my hammer, my drill, nails, etc. to pull this piece together and it felt good.

For years I had made many, many,many of my small mixed media panels for my journals in which I would pull together found materials, paint, and my photos. Going through this process again, but bigger, felt like coming home.

I met the woman who purchased this painting and she said that the horse’s eyes just communicated so much to her. I felt the same when I took the shot on the farm earlier this year. I think that anyone who has spent time with horses, understands that feeling of looking into spirit when looking into the gaze of a horse.

The wood that I attached on the bottom are from a wood palette that had spent the last year out in the elements. I love to bring these earthy details into my work as it brings another layer of history and story. I want my work to tell a story, or to continue a story that perhaps started with the viewer. We all bring our own stories when we view artwork, hear music, read a book. It’s that recognition of self in those works that creates that jolt of connection. I have felt it myself. I feel it especially when I listen to music.