Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Nondualism

I have been really obsessed with the concept of duality in my work and have focused on the inner conflict that comes with negotiating two sides of one's self. Illustrating this battle, this tug-of-war, in different ways has provided me with rich metaphorical images. And the conversations these images have spurred have been really interesting, everyone can relate in some way to this feeling of being pulled back and forth by different voices inside their heads, by feeling torn and stuck between parts of themselves.

My mother-in-law visited a few weeks ago and shared an experience she had in a class on Buddhism. In it she learned about the concept of Nondualism that essentially teaches that there is no difference between the inner self and the spiritual, higher self (that is simplifying it a lot). Which got me thinking about the way I have been approaching this concept. Two sides are necessary for a balanced existence. We all have these dual sides to ourselves, good and evil, male and female, passive and aggressive, yin and yang. Opposite, opposing forcing that are actually complimentary and create wholeness.


Here are photos the progress of my most recent painting in this series

"The Instigator"
Watercolor on paper
18" x 24"






Thursday, January 1, 2015

Overheard

I've had a slow return to my painting routine after my body was destroyed by a parasite. But I'm fully recovered now and starting this new year with a new blog post of the progress I have made on my latest painting.

Duality, secrets, gossip and hearsay. I've been thinking about information and what we think is secret. What we say in confidence. The complicity of friends and the deceptive nature of ourselves.