‘Catharsis’ is an adjunct piece created during the process of painting the Stability Series.  Using the left over paint from each spine, I continued the conversation and exploration around my back injury.  It is the back-story to the series (pun intended) and explores questions ranging from the cycles of life to putting ‘my spine’ on display.  I am not sure if it’s complete, and perhaps the piece will have more to say after the series has been shown.

What started as an exploration of the Ida and Pingala Nadis (passages in the left and right nostrils for Prana or life force to reach the chakras), became the capturing of a beautiful and intriguing woman.  Orchids, an ambiguous portrait, line, the natural settling of oil paint and color give way to express both the movement of life energy as well as the light and dark elements of a friend.  The choice of flowers and a portrait in the painting attempt to put the onlooker in tune with vital force of life involved within the nostrils.  More attention to the idea of breath was involved with leaving white negative space and bare canvas showing (often something I struggle to achieve).  The hand connects the piece to both the delicacy and fragility of life as well recipient of the painting, while the hair, roots and leaves resemble the power and strength.  As in many of my works it was a process of seeking balance, message and aesthetic satisfaction.