Flood Journey

Earlier this year my country up north was swamped by a torrential downpour. It was quite devastating. I painted this work to continue the  conversation I started with 'A Single Life' and then 'Journey To'. The story is about moving forward, from the past to a new future, possibility and potential. In this work, 'Flood Journey' i was inspired by the way people, strangers and neighbours can to the assistance of those who were suffering from the effects of the flooding around them. Another metaphor I suppose about support and that by taking a chance and risking something, there is a boat, a vessel that will take you to dry land.

 Flood Journey

The Prayer

I know its been a while. Sometime has past, I think it must be that the idea of regular bloggin is in its infancy. But, heres to the reaching out to the new. This work came from a place of deep confusion and feeling lost. Where was I going with all of this? The questions I was asking needed to go outside of myself and hope they could be heard by a wiser soul. The answer came as the painting grew. The character is asking, hands together, please help me here, I need to know my path. The being/face behind is sublime and all knowing and the connection is made as the bird, the soul sings aloud and with joy to the world. So resolution was found within the work itself. Process made real. This is where the true meaning of painting exists for me. From heart and desire for resolution, a new image is born.
Painted April 2007.

The Crossroad

This will be about the stories behind the paintings. Maybe the stories are triggers for the images, maybe they spark deas for stories after they are created. These are the reflections of my inner self, I am just the interpretor.

This painting, called "At a Crossroad" was painted after I returned from a trip to Paris. I live in Melbourne. My studio is above a Cafe, called Boheme Cafe. Before the chance to go travelling, I was feeling a little Lost, as in where was I going with myself, my art, my ideas. There was the chance to visit Paris for two weeks, so there I went.
I walked everywhere, for hours till my feet ached. But, what a joy, what an adventure to roam the streets, to visit the galleries, to sit and sip strong coffee in cafes surrounded by the buzz of this beautiful city.

So here was a painting I created after my return. The painting tries to straddle time and experience. From prior to leaving and then the return. Behind the head is the past, a time of confusion and no direction. The face looks outwards, to the future with hope and a little trepidation. This is the nature of embarking on a journey. The moment of decision is the crossroad. Taking off, crossing the boundary and leaving the earth or what is familiar and trusting the unknown. The future suddenly takes a turn, this is where my ordinary day ended and this is where my extraordinary day might begin. Colours are the notes that convey the "sound" of a painting. Much can be read into the placement of colour, the decsion to choose one colour instead of another. Red, White and Blue, remind me that it was to Paris I had gone. But within each colour another story evolves. The black stripes in the red are steps to the possibility of future achievements. Rungs in a ladder. Within the blue, is that water, or maybe air, marks and scratches comment on the physical world.

Deciding to do this Blog, is one such Crossroad. This is why I have chosen to begin with this painting. I look forward to your musings as I begin to articulate in words what previously I used in images.

Ciao,
Saren