Our main theme for this semester in VIS2020 painting was Spatial Composition.

For Module 1 I wanted to create an abstract painting using geometric shapes and texture mediums. I drew a symmetrical grid onto my canvas and intentionally disrupted the symmetry which prompted me to solve and balance the composition to find a state of calm harmony. This work is about relationship expectations vs reality.

Module 2 asked for a collage of two of more images combined to create a new meaning. My painting pairs Midge from Mattel’s Barbie, a doll that was discontinued because she was deemed a poor role model for young girls, with the swirls of Van Gogh’s Self Portrait (1889) which seem to reference his own struggles with mental health. This work is about societal expectations and the masks we wear to fit in, only to be judged unworthy.

Module 3 is a self portrait. I wanted to work in an abstract style, using mixed media and action painting techniques to represent various aspects of myself. This painting reflects my love of nature, of fitness, my responsibilities with family, my introversion, my love of individuality and free spirit. I also have a momento mori in there in the form of the Grim Reaper.

Module 4 was a free choice, and I wanted to capture the paradox of focus on a spinning object as experienced in wheel throwing pottery, which has been such a constant for me in Semester 2. It echoes the sentiment of modern life, as we all seem to be in a bit of a spin these days.

Considering colour theory, spatial composition and intentionally seeking a tool to paint a radial spin, this painting was both experimental and intentional at the same time.