Artist Biography
As an artist, my interests include the themes of self identity, freedom of expression, and creating art to fulfill one’s happiness. Growing up near New York City, I spent a lot of time visiting museums like the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I became intrigued by expressive artists like Jackson Pollock whose work left me lost in thought. Those experiences of viewing artists’ work right in front of me but from generations before, were the stepping stones of developing my own artistic language. My art process transformed from wanting to create detailed, realistic artwork into creating abstract art that expressed my inner feelings and reflected my self identity. My process is dedicated to feeling which color will be placed next to another and observing how the forms interact with the drips and colors as a whole. My hope is that viewers can develop a sense of connection, feeling, or emotion by looking at my art. This series focused on the idea of giving in to the art process by breaking artistic boundaries and fundamental art techniques. The process of splattering, dripping paint, and making paint and pastel gestures and markings on seven large scale canvas cloths promoted freedom and liberation that I hope to continue embracing in my future work to further develop my artistic identity.
Thesis Abstract
This thesis investigates how spontaneous art making can lead to mindful presence, increased happiness, and promote a more fulfilling life. Spontaneous art making encourages freedom and invites the opportunity to create without limitations or judgment; this open art making concept has been found to develop trust and build healing in community based settings. This thesis used acrylic painting and a pastel drawing process on large raw canvas cloth. The technique involved spatter, dripping and loose expressive gestures. Unplanned use of colors and design reflected the essence of spontaneity in art making, exemplifying the act of letting go and creating art from within. The resulting creation of seven large-scale spontaneous works of art show the process of freedom, letting go, mindful presence, and trusting the process. Future directions and limitations discuss the use of spontaneous art making to promote artistic freedom and happiness.