Through meditative art making practices I am training myself to find distance from a chaotic, contemporary culture as a person that lives with high anxiety that manifests physically. This series of drawings, paintings and prints is evidence of my attempt at slowing down, incorporating mental rest and quietude into my art making practices. The work functions as an experiment to see how a meditative practice affects my overall attitude, positivity, stress levels, physical health and productivity. It’s also a formal exploration of mark making and material with the intention of being hung in a gallery. As I am not looking for a definitive answer, the process has been generative, and I will continue reformatting it to fit my life, hoping for slow and subtle desirable long-term results.
At the start of this process I set myself parameters for size, material and overall look of the pieces collectively. I was able to focus my attention on the act of doing rather than being under pressure of making those decisions. After I began making I realized each piece required a slightly different approach. Through size, process and craft there is a hidden physicality in each drawing, painting and print. The physicality of making is representative of the link between mental and physical wellbeing. The work is physically demanding which gives my mind the opportunity to rest.