Artist Statement for Emily’s course “Paint fit” in 2023
I have been working with the divine feminine creative power for over 25 years, initially as part of my therapeutic work and developing “Golden Dragon Healing” and later on in my paintings.
I had chosen Sheela Na Gigs as a subject for the Paint fit course, after all, I had lived in Ireland for over 25 years and had felt and experienced some of the Celtic past. This led to months of intensive exploration, research, drawing and painting of a worshipped, defamed and repressed, rediscovered and universal deity of Mother Earth and a whole body of work emerged. I never previously have spent such a long time on one subject, but Emily’s approach to painting felt so supportive and inspiring, that I took my work more seriously. I actually had a similar experience with the wonderful Self Portrait course I took earlier that year.
I found her particular exercises really helpful and time will tell, if I will be able to incorporate them more into my painting work. The biggest nugget I am taking away is how important it is to give conscious and purposeful meaning to shapes and marks alike.
I started quite realistically which helped me to feel the energy of the Sheelas I chose. Eventually they became more of a theme of the great mother of the earth and the elements, which could be expressed in so many ways, including colour and gesture and even collage. In some of the paintings that I had begun abstractly, a Sheela "appeared" and emerged from the paper. She certainly has become alive and tangible, and has made me realize once again, how important a revival of the feminine power has become, especially in our time.
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