A Woman & Her Symbols

Michelle of the Rougette Gallery in Maine www.rougettegallery.com features outsider artists and my art quilt postcards. She says their beauty provides a contrast to the edgier work done by some of her other artists. Besides being a gallery owner (and painter herself), Michelle is a therapist trained in Jungian theories. As such, she is very interested in the unconscious and how symbols allow a peek into what might be going on in those depths.

Soooo, of course I just had to explore this idea of symbols more. I wondered what WERE my symbols & if I found them were they filled with enough angst to be called artistic?

I messed around with purposely creating symbols with hidden meaning and then realized symbols could not be commanded to appear but were there if one looked. They are the shapes, forms or designs that call out to us and that we feel some sort of kinship with.

I am drawn to the heart shape – of course it means love, but I believe it also symbolizes my need to try and keep my heart open to allow people in and closed when self-protection is necessary. I often use a woman’s shape in my work – pure and simply, this represents my sexuality. The spiral has always appeared in my art – I love how it swirls around and around, starting at one point and ending at another, but not in a straight path and can be traveled in either direction.

Now that my eyes have been opened (a bit) I am looking forward to more unearthing. Who knows? I might learn a thing or two about myself along the way.