BEING PART OF THE ART

I want to share with you an approach to art that is becoming increasingly important to me. Combining movement with mark making, and getting a little messy! It's big, it's bold, it's visceral, it's expressive, rooted in movement and rhythm. Taking inspiration from abstract expressionist action painters such as Pollock, Kline & Rosenburg, alongside current work by kinesthetic artists like Tony Orrico & Heather Hansen, I've been having fun experimenting with a combination of dance gestures and mark making.

What I do

I clear the floor, lay out extra large paper or canvas (1 ½ x 2 metres), switch on worship music and begin to dance. After a time of physically engaging in worship and prayer I sit or kneel in the centre and start to repeat these movements using my art materials, beginning with a focus on mark making and then bringing in colours that reflect my heart. I work in layers over several days allowing for drying time but each time using the same songs to remind me of the heart behind the piece and beginning each session by dancing on the picture. In the last layer I consider how to bring the piece to a conclusion as a whole.

Part of the Art

It's a whole body, mind & spirit experience! Dancing as a starting point, following on to large repeated, rhythmical, visceral mark making gestures. By being actually on the work and usually getting covered in the art medium I feel intrinsically part of the piece.

WHO YOU ARE - details

WHO YOU ARE - acrylic on paper (1.5x2m)

There is an energy and freedom, confidence and childlike quality to this way of working. It's whole hearted, from the gut, spontaneous and raw, feeling simultaneously scary and safe. I love it! When I've finished a piece I photograph the details of the picture, discovering the intricacies of what's been created, exploring the numerous paintings within the painting.

Timelapse Video

I completed my 4th 'Part of the Art' piece last week and this time have recorded it's creation from start to finish. It was done across 5 days in about 8 sessions but with the wonders of timelapse is condensed down to 3 minutes.
The soundtrack is Heartbeats by Lucy Grimble (used with permission) and was the song I had playing on repeat throughout.
"You put your spirit inside me and what else can I do but worship you?!
With heaven and earth I'll declare you're amazing God, with all I have I'll be devoted...
Show me the rhythm of your heart, I want to beat in time with you."
This movie is posted on my YouTube Channel (why not subscribe so you don't miss future videos!)

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? (but worship you) - acrylic on canvas (1.5x2m)

In some ways, in these pieces, I'm making quite a private moment public! However, the timelapse element takes away from any feeling that you're watching me worship, and as I heard in a sermon about worship this Sunday “Worship is a choice, and it's a choice to let others see”. This in fact sums up my mission as an artist really. Painting is me worshipping in colour, my visual song, engaging with God's heart and goodness. Actually I don't want to keep this to myself but to stir others to join me with their own songs, their own dance, their own colours.