Witness
encaustic mixed media
20×16 inches
Finished a painting this week that is part of my flooded images series, using photos and journal images that were damaged last year. When I had first started this painting, I was originally going to use put one of my trees in….but then this image called out to me. I thought, I don’t do figurative art in my body of work, I probably shouldn’t….but the pull was strong. And I listened to my gut, not my head. Witness. The figure in the photo is actually of one my best friends from childhood. In my 20s I went to visit her in NYC and we spent the whole trip gallery hopping, shopping and eating. I mean, NYC, right? And of course me making her pose in front of urban grunge here and there. I’ve always loved the photo and was so sad when I saw that it had fallen victim to the flood. But I had to admit that the ghostly image left over was so beautiful and powerful in its own way. While I was working on this painting, I kept looking up to this painting that I had painted a few months ago and had hanging on the wall near my workspace:
And Then It Was All Gone
encaustic mixed media
20×16
I envisioned the two hanging together and so I worked off of it. Now I am pondering adding one of my flooded images to this painting, although I feel good about it as is. I’m just going to let them hang together for a while on my studio and not touch it. Unless one day, I just cave to the curiosity of what would happen if I did. What if?
Looking at this now in my post, I think I’m going to leave it be and just make a third one. hmmmm.
Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to keep. -Scott Adams
I really love how you have taken this experience of the flood — and some very real objects — and explored and processed them all through art. These pieces are sensational and very compelling. And of course you had me at NYC. I think a third piece to balance these two is an inspired idea.
Thank you Seth. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without art to process life in general! I had so much fun that visit, eating hot dogs and cupcakes on nearby stoops, buying a tamal from a man who came into the bar we were at late at night, running from gallery to gallery, a fun adventure with a childhood friend.
I agree with you Seth. Just wonderful and a third one would be superb ! Thanks for sharing Bridgette.
Thanks Trish.
So wise to go with what your feelings are telling you and to sit with them for awhile … really love your art and the stories that you share with them.
thanks so much. yeah, sometimes you just have to let it hang on the wall to stare at you for awhile!
What if? I know that mantra and where it came from! LOL!