Out of the Darkness

"Out of the Darkness: 3"   24x24" Acrylic on Canvas

I recently took a workshop on non-objective art. My instructor had us do exercises trying to express an emotion in a single line. This is as difficult as you think would be.... what does an angry line look like? A sad line? I tried to turn off my brain and draw "with my gut", the same way I try to translate music into colour and form in my other paintings. This wasn't easy.... It's a meditative thing, and it's hard to get in the right space while in a room full of people. After looking at everyone's line drawings, the entire class agreed: what the negative emotions gave us was much more powerful than the positive ones. So that was where I decided to start.

"Out of the Darkness: 1"   24x24" Acrylic on Canvas

With the "Out of the Darkness" paintings, I wanted to express feelings of sorrow, but still convey a glimmer hope and optimism. Like when you've been sad for a very long time, and something happens that makes you think things are going to somehow get better. There are three paintings in this series at the moment. I have 3 more canvases the same size that I had bought with the intention of continuing the series, but it seems to be difficult space for me to occupy for any length of time. I may decide this is as much as there is. 

"Out of the Darkness: 2"   24x24" Acrylic on Canvas