Out of the Darkness!

I haven’t created my postcards yet, but I have been producing some extremely dark art as a result of the emotions released by my studies and the therapy I have started as a course requirement.

It started with this piece, created after my first therapy session last Thursday. Although I could have chosen an Art Therapist, I deliberately chose to go to a talking therapist as I felt it would be too easy to evade my deep buried issues using Art Therapy. I might have known that I couldn’t get away from the art that easily. After therapy I had this compulsion to paint, and this was the result – created on recycled cardboard from our move using acrylic paint.

On Friday we went to Nottingham to see ‘Art in the Asylum’ – an exhibition of ‘Outsider Art’ at the Djanogly Art Gallery in the Lakeside Arts Centre. The exhibition was incredible! (Unfortunately today is the last day) I have seen reproductions of much of the art that was exhibited, but to be able to see the original artwork was totally awesome. It was a very emotional journey for me and I created this piece in response to my feelings.

I thought I was done with emotional painting for this week, but then last night my daughter messaged me with a link to the ‘Bedlam’ series that was shown on Channel 4 (UK) last Thursday. The first episode was entitled ‘Anxiety’, and I never dreamt that I would have any problems watching it, but by the end of the screening I was an emotional wreck! This image is my interpretation of how I felt.

In case you’re worried, I do have very secure support systems in place to help me cope with the process …and I have been producing some lighter pieces as well – I’ll post them just as soon as I think they’re finished.