“Beyond the edge of the world there’s a space where emptiness and substance neatly overlap, where past and future form a continuous, endless loop. And, hovering about, there are signs no one has ever read, chords no one has every heard.” – Haruki Murakami

This is a recent painting exploration in progress. It’s not quite finished, but I made this video recently initially to share about the panel I’m working on by Artefex. It’s a quick peek at the process of this painting as I’m working on an acrylic primed panel, so it allows for the possibility of working in different combinations of materials, and working in a number of different mediums. For example, in this painting, I did a little texture and mark-making in acrylic first, and then built up and added layers in oil. There’s still a bit more to do on this one, and maybe I’ll share more in another video at another time. I truly and thoroughly enjoy the act of painting and being immersed in the experience.  While I’m in this flow state of painting, I want to be able to explore and experiment with the building up in various mediums I may feel moved to work with in the moment. So, acrylic primed is perfect for that, and the extra fine linen has a nice synergy of smoothness, limited absorbency, and tooth to it that I tend to enjoy in a surface. (If you’re interested in this panel, it’s their AllinPanel 574, acrylic-primed extra fine linen adhered to ACM panel).

Aside from the surface and materials, when I started this painting, I did not know what I would end up with for this video, and that was on purpose, that is also a part of what I am sharing. What I did know is that I wanted to demonstrate that we can be malleable with process, that something can shapeshift and evolve at all times. That it’s okay and quite possible to go into something and not know exactly what it will be or turn out like, and that we are bound to discover something new by the allowing and doing of something different.

I think of these experiences as reminders to explore in order to learn and discover new things. I’ve often found that the act painting is about acceptance, grace, being curious, full of wonder, and humble. Working in this way is a continuous reminder that there are so many other ways to make something and that the one way that someone may have learned to make something, as valid or familiar/safe or more mainstream as it may be, is not the only way things are or can be created or done. Inside of that, there is also room to allow for diversion from the original plan. In this space, there is room to accept and allow for many ways of seeing, many ways of making and doing, including the less familiar ways too. I see it as an invitation to be curious and have the courage to try. To see something in a different way, step into the unknown for a bit and allow ourselves to discover new, exciting ways to experience things. Anything. Art or anything else.

The act of making art has truly helped me quite a bit with openness, grace, acceptance, decision-making, overcoming fear of unknowns, processing difficult life things, letting go, and just many things that come with being a human being. It’s beyond the edge. It’s a continuous process of change and growth, and I’m in it for life.