press

The Rromp
issue 4 (Jan 2023)

Text:

acrylic on canvas
40x30 in.
2022

“wood, water, mirror” is a reflection and meditation on the self-destructive part of the psyche that often shows up as addiction. I initiated this work with the intention of making peace with, listening to, and trying to understand that exiled entity. Within this theme is the idea of the cyclical nature of time, how we tend to circle back on our many selves, as well as how we can view aspects of these old selves in the same way we do ancestors.

By approaching even the most frightening, monstery parts of ourselves with reverence, patience and curiosity, we learn from them and heal. And any work we do in this way ripples beyond time and space, benefiting not only our present, future and those who follow, but also our past selves and even those who came before us.

The title, "wood, water, mirror" is simple and points to actual parts of the painting which are also common elements used in ritual. The multiple hidden “scars” and cursive-y scrawls beneath the upper layer of paint signify the concealed or cut-off aspects of the psyche and the worldly self, respectively. The layers, used in combination, suggest the reunion of the exiled inner parts with the person in the present. Ultimately, the very top layer—the revelation—simply could not exist without the underlay of wounds, “mistakes,” confusion, and time spent utterly lost.