My paintings work as mirrors that show me where I am in life.  Often while painting, I do not yet understand what kind of process I am in exactly, or what is going on subconsciously. However, sooner or later the insights come naturally, always at the right time.

When I have finished a painting, after working on it for months, or sometimes over a year, it  feels as if having completed an important process or even a life phase. However, it could also work the other way around ….or both ways…. I am not sure about that yet.

Both the materials and the technique I currently use are reminiscent of the way medieval icons were painted. I paint with – often homemade – egg tempera, using little strokes and lots of layers to create depth. Icons (descended from the Greek word εἰκών = image) as images were to be interpreted between the visual and the transcendental. The painter strove not after imitation of observable reality, but to display a truth that transcends appearances.

So, as often as it can frustrate me that a large image doesn’t seem to ever be finished, I also know that it is mainly about the path, the thoughts and feelings that come up while painting, the releasing of trapped emotions, a training in dedication and surrender, being my own teacher, and more….so much more……

Maybe my practice is more about alchemy than it is about art.

FacebookLinkedin
@