SELF ASSESSMENT
From the commencement of SYP, the final exhibition looms large on the creative horizon in every kind of personal way. I’ve been studying for the Painting degree for 12 years and so, since leaving a lifetime’s career in education, the course has occupied much of that time. My reasons for beginning the study were always personal, stemming from the belief that every phase of life whether it be childhood, adulthood or elderhood, needs to be lived to the full in terms of learning and growing.
In this final course of preparing for the exhibition, I’ve found that for me all the strands of learning began to come together. I started out as a drawer and a firmly convinced one at that but something began to happen during the research and writing of the essay in the Contextual Studies module. Because of the very personal nature of the subject of the essay (“Is my art practice a question of country?”) I was encouraged by the tutor to begin the writing as a soliloquy and this allowed me the freedom to express the deep issues regarding being a migrant. From that time the painting began to change, bringing with it greater confidence and understanding of who I am. I left behind any reluctance to express my ‘Australianness” and so the natural love of colour had free expression. So it was entirely fitting that it should be the culminating focus of the exhibition, “Someone Coloured My World Today…”
This period of completing this body of work was one of deep reflection and as well as the painting undergoing change, the natural flow of words began to emerge in connection with the painting. It was a new development but I allowed it to take its course and it has become now an integral part of my creative process. The wonder for me is that having to abide by government restrictions during covid, the virtual exhibition of the paintings has allowed the complete expression of my creative process with the inclusion of audio and this would not have been so seamless in a physical exhibition space. Those viewing the virtual exhibition have an immersive and interactive experience, listening to my words and seeing the images. My hope is that their response opens up new thinking in relation to the environment.
The experience of curating a virtual exhibition proved very interesting. It was an entirely new experience for both myself and the technician. The Kunstmatrix platform proved an excellent basis to work from and I felt it allowed me to maintain ownership of the curating process in parallel with relying on the technical expertise of someone else. The fact that it was new learning for the technician maintained the joy and exploration element which I think is fundamental to a successful exhibition.
The response from viewers has been wonderful. Because I have been able to include all aspects of my process in the actual painting the images, I feel that the viewers have been able to become intimately part of that process and that is an achievement I’d not expected. Several viewers have spoken of returning to look and listen several times and to continue to experience the work.
The exhibition will remain on the Riverhouse Barn’s website for the month of April and on my website indefinitely. I have also posted the link to it on my Instagram account
Visitors comments:
“Congratulations on a wonderful body of work that is emotive, mesmeric, joyful & at times charged with a sense of loss. The combination of vision & sound is incredibly moving allowing the visitor a more immersive experience of your deep connection with nature” …
SG…fellow student
“I have just spent an hour visiting your art exhibition, and have come away inspired, uplifted and filled with the beautiful and meaningful colours of Soul.
Thank you SO much for inviting me to it! I loved every moment of it, and I do hope that you get lots of people visiting your exhibition. It is indeed inspiring and a real uplift to the sometimes “dark” side of things trying to make themselves real in today’s world.
Thank you for sending out such beauty, joy, spiritual meaning and unique goodness into the world. I know your message will go out with healing in its wings and find welcome landing places, just like the dove that Noah sent out from the ark.
Thank you, thank you, and such love and gratitude”
JG…friend
“Wow that’s amazing! How very clever and the exhibition looks absolutely wonderful, thanks so much for sending this to me.”
JM – maker of books
“Wow – I am thrilled to see this exhibition of your work..and the poetry and in depth explanations
.The paintings are just wonderful- you are so talented.
I just love your inspired use of colour- it sings and lifts the viewer.
Words unfortunately appear to fail me.!
Well done- a mighty work accomplished”
JS…friend
“… a great unfolding of emotion of the senses,…Yes Yes to think of all of yourself that has evolved from a love to create and to deeply digest you experiences to feel life as an art form from its inner recourses. I wish to spend more time digesting your work and discuss the colour to sound as it is truly a subject that one cannot just flit over as a fantasy but to delve deeper into the depths as how fierce is Red and how placid green and all between and match it all that you hear between like a fluttering wing or the breeze through the trees and then put it on canvas as your breath and action in a reality of feeling.
Shall read and study more through the coming days of your work and see how it leads me”
EW – friend
“I’ve been spending quite a lot of time with this so sorry not to have got back sooner. I found myself bingeing it and so had to slow down to listen to your words as I poured over the paintings. I think the whole thing is quite remarkable. I just loved listening to your voice read the poems. I think it is something that couldn’t have been achieved with a physical show and it really transforms the paintings. You rarely share your writing so that was really new to me and gave me a different insight into you as a person and how you think. That was so special for me.
The paintings look amazing. You have truly transformed yourself as a painter in such a short space of time and this to me is very very impressive. The long landscape painting which is predominantly blue really stands out for me, I love it. It’s really brave. You have completely devoted yourself to your practise and it shows. All this only reinforces what I said to you the other day about this being a beginning and not an end. I think you have only scratched the surface of your investigation of you as an artist. I think you might see a deepening of your practise once relieved of the structures of the course. You have established a discipline and that is a really important foundation. But you should also take some time to process all of this that has culminated with the online show. You should be very proud of what you have achieved and allow that pride to relax and comfort you now and then propel you to what is to come next. And when that happens be sure to get rid of that sense of comfort and keep questioning.
I am so proud of you for completing this course in the way you have and the artist that you have become. “
SF – son
“Well Patsy – I can’t begin to find the words to describe my reaction to this final piece for your degree! ‘Extraordinary’ doesn’t even touch it but that is what it is, such a depth and sensitivity in your thought processes over these past years, developing your painting to new levels every time I see them, and now poetry too….. Amazing culmination to this point and I can’t wait to talk with you some more to discuss even further!
David’s drone recording of your beautiful garden is mesmerising and the work the web team and you have done creating this virtual exhibition is fantastic. I felt totally immersed and ‘drawn in’ to this whole virtual experience!”
AW friend
“Beverley kindly forwarded me your Art pages, and I have just been blown away with the presentation apart from your wonderful art. The paintings are such an inspiration so beautiful. I loved the ideas that moved you to be so inspired to use thecolours like you have, and it was amazing how you used the senses and nature to bring out those designs and colours.
Also I loved how you were able to use such a contemporary idea in sound…
I can see it’s been an incredible study reading the quotes etc. Great learning through it all. For me it’s been quite a spiritual experience to see them all and read your conclusions.
I don’t know how you would part with them.”
JK – friend of a friend in Australia
“What a wonderful an innovative interactive exhibition! It took a little bit to get used to the camera controls, but it really feels like you’re walking around an exhibition – being able to look at paintings from a distance but also up close. The audio commentaries next to each painting are great too!”
DH..Director of Horizon Imaging Ltd