"Modern Woman"
(oil & collage painting on canvas, 16X20, 2009)
“When science finally locates the center of the universe, some people will be surprised to learn they're not it.”
Stephen Bernard Bailey
I’ve tried to create an abstract painting based on my perception of an average modern woman, but just as I do with a lot of my other work I managed to make it mostly about me. When I realized that I was creating an abstract portrait of myself I was in awe, since I didn’t think it was possible for an artist to make an abstract painting that was supposed to illustrate an abstract thought about herself.
At first it felt a bit strange and I started wondering whether I’m too self-obsessed. I do find myself quite interesting. I see myself as a little piece of the Universe and a specimen of humanity, which means that the more I study myself – the more I learn about people in general. I then thought that it was not all that strange to bring oneself into one’s art.
After all I see myself as a visual writer of sorts, since I always try to tell a story with my art and many writers tend to write about themselves or at least write about others drawing upon their own life experiences. Why should I be any different? I always thought that God has let me go through so many good and bad experiences in my life so that I can better understand humanity; so that when I say “I feel your pain” or “I’m really glad for you” I can actually mean it, so that I can be a better person and a more honest painter. If somebody upstairs decided that I should be an artist and empowered me with life experiences that inspire me I shouldn’t feel guilty about creating art that is a reflection of who I am. And in the end, who cares if I make abstract painting about myself? If I didn’t tell you – you’d never know!
