BEYOND..............................................

The painting above is called 'Beyond The Dark Night Of The Soul'. I wrote about some of my thoughts when I was painting it in a previous post where I uploaded sections of the work-in -progress. http://kathrynbrimblecombeart.blogspot.com/2009/11/beyond-dark-night-of-soul.html

In the previous post I wrote that I wanted to focus on the 'beyond' part of the title. I had and still have no desire to paint something which could be called 'The Dark Night Of The Soul', athough when I first heard the phrase it certainly interested me, because it so succinctly described THAT place we go to in our heads and hearts when things seem to be falling apart. Indeed, if readers have ever been to the 'dark night of the soul', you can understand why I would not want to replicate it in a painting, although many other artists have and do [and the mass media supplies us endlessly]! The word 'beyond' in the title clearly gives the message that this painting is not just a warm and fuzzy, feel-good image, because 'the dark night of the soul' as something that has been experienced but overcome, thus it exists in absentia.

Regular readers know that I have previously written about the existence of things in absentia. This concept really fascinates me and I enjoy its possibilities. For me, things can exist in absentia when they have been consciously elided. The conscious action leaves a shadow of sorts, thus rebutting any claims of blind ignorance. One of the most significant possibilities, for me, is how this concept motivates me to paint a sense through the use of symbols rather than trying to depict things realistically. I know it is a fine line...where is the difference between sensing and depiction? For me the latter predominantly relies on the eye...of eye ball and pupil... a recognition that relies on something seen and then an ensuing predominantly intellectual interpretative stage prior to a realisation of an emotional response...if any. Whereas sensing may not be just about visual recognition, but more about feeling and a sense of a presence which may, in fact, cause the intellect some disquiet. I like to think this is as an agitation of the of cellular memory. I'll leave it at that for the moment...I sense more thoughts are to come!

PRESENCE IN MALENY

So, this brings me to my small exhibition PRESENCE which I am having in Maleny opening May 20 continuing until June 15. I love Maleny because it is really very pretty, it is where my parents now live [for 25 yrs after selling the farm!] and the population is an exciting and stimulating eclectic mix of people. Remember...Maleny was where THE people stood up to Woolworths to try to save a precious wildlife area and keep the face of BIG business out of town [to protect local businesses]. My Mum and some of her mates [along with many others] even protested with placards and the whole works! PRESENCE will be at The Upfront Club http://www.upfrontclub.org/ which is a hub for music lovers, art lovers, people watchers, foodies and so on. It is run by a co-operative...yes Maleny is pretty cool!

THANK YOU
Thank you to all my visitors to my BLOG. Recently the numbers have increased and I think I see that some are regular visitors. I have written the BLOG since August 2006 and I am very grateful that there are people out there, from all over the world, who drop by to read my ramblings.

Image: Beyond The Dark Night Of The Soul Oil on linen 100 x 100 cm 2009

And, thank you to all who came ot FRISSON. It was a great success in all ways!
Cheers,
Kathryn