It’s a Sagittarius Full Moon today; time to share some creativity, and finish up an old way of doing things. I’m using this heavenly guidance to explore a new format in my monthly newsletters. Adjusting to the smaller attention spans we all have these days, I’m offering snippets of what I imagine might be of interest to you. The 3 categories are:
1 – Blast from the Past
2 – Influences
3 – Currently…
3 – Currently…
Do you ‘see’ any connections between the 3 themes you peruse below?
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Blast from the Past = An art work I created some time in the last 45+ years
Debbie Mathew Title: Static Evolution
42” h x 35.5”w Acrylic on Canvas, 1983
During the 1980’s, I played with various media (oils, then acrylic, then mixed media) on canvas, paper and masonite. The visual imagery varied, but often appeared as ‘landscapes’ inhabited by biomorphic forms, always in some kind of transition, from one shape/identity to another. Even at this early stage in my art adventures, I was merging the mythic, scientific and poetic. I studied science (biology) but also wanted to express the magical and mystical aspects of nature I experienced. In this piece, notice how identifiable forms (leaves) also create the impression of rocks or shoreline of a landscape; bones and shells appear as a new creature coming to life. The body of water is shaped like a brittle star, and is fed into being by the surrounding landscape. The presence of the moon acts as the symbol of unknown forces applying to the life cycle of death and rebirth at the root of evolution, as well as the waxing and waning of all life experience.
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Influences = Contributing to my evolution as an artist; could be a person, place, process… etc.
Remedios Varo Title: Plant Cathedral1930’s? Oil on Canvas
Varo was a Spanish-Mexican artist, who was an integral part of the Mexico City based Surrealist movement in the decades post WW II. During the early 1980’s, I delved into the magical, fluid landscapes of Surrealism. Beside the famous male surrealists (Salvador Dali, Max Ernst etc.), existed a group of incredible female surrealists. No surprise that in the decades post WWII, they weren’t given the recognition they deserved. These women (Leonora Carrington, Leonor Fini, Dorothea Tanning & many others), and their visionary works, spoke to me deeply. They all had a unique perspective; those that combined psychology, faith, and the mystical, especially in relation to nature, inspired me. Varo’s work is exemplary of this; the power of nature inspired her fantastical, allegorical works.
Her artworks emit an enigmatic presence beyond the visible; an energy I too, search to render visually. We both respect science, but desire to infiltrate our imaginary landscapes with a mystical presence.
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Currently = What I’m exploring now in my Art Adventures.
Debbie Mathew Title: Shifting Dimensions19.5”h x 14”w Silkscreen & Collage on Paper 2024
After my recent opportunity to play with serigraphy (silk-screen printing) during my New Zealand residency @BlueBathtubPress, I continue to explore various methods to complete the pieces I returned home with. In addition to coloring with pencils (including water-color pencils), I’m collaging other nature sourced images that are dear to my heart-mind. Symbolism from various spiritual traditions occupy the same landscape as birds, seahorses and trees. If you look closely, I’ve stitched metallic threads around specific images to reflect their inherent vibratory frequencies. The heart, bee, spirals, door/portal, lotus, birds, and flaming flowers, are more vibrant, inviting you to investigate their essence; these shimmering elements line up into a vertical energetic pattern, representing the primary axis of the human subtle body field. It’s really fun to explore the various materials, including bling elements, that serve to translate subtle energy patterns that exist within the human body and within our beautiful Gaia.
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Please help me give you updates you enjoy.
Let me know if/what you like about this new format or if you have other ideas/categories you’d like me to explore; click to email me here (or comment below) and let me know. I’d be so appreciative.
FYI, I send ‘process’ related videos/reels on my Instagram account; if that interests you, click on the Instagram icon on the top corner of any page of my art website; once there click the ‘Follow’ button on that social media platform.