Artist Statement: Much like when I began my Ancient God & Contemporary Circumstances(2013) and Seven Social Sins(2010) bodies of work, this series hit me like a compulsion. I just kept painting. However, the similarities end there. Unlike those mixed media works that have an external focus on relevant contemporary social issues, this series as created intuitively with an internal focus. This body of work is also my first working solely within a limited painted medium (acrylic paint and alcohol inks). In a vein similar to my other 2014 series, Better Left Unsaid, these layered works were the result of focusing on the genuine process of making art, not the end result. I used music as my initial inspiration for each piece. Choosing an artist, and letting my mind wander through their lyrics as my hands were essentially left to their own devices. As I have previously mentioned, music is often influential on my artistic process and state of mind.
The finished imagery often has unintentional elements of surrealism. This is the result of abstract layering of paint, listening to music, and using colors, textures, and brushstrokes that simply felt right. As the pieces developed, I began to intuitively fill in the imagery. This whole process felt rather unreal. Painting without a real objective or identifiable concept of success–an ideal for the finished piece is daunting, yet utterly freeing. When I completed many of my first works, I was struck with sense of awe. It felt bizarre that these works had come out of me, with minimal conscious effort.
Carly Swenson | Intuitive Painter 
Leave a comment