Sept. 23rd – Sept. 28th
Brooke Nicholson
Artist Statement
My work represents the experience of creating a work of art and its correlation to human life. For me, the process of painting is similar to the way individuals develop over time. Throughout life, we are continuously evolving; events and occurrences are placed in our lives that affect the path of our development in good ways and in bad. My watercolor paintings depict the change, growth, metamorphosis, duality and balance that exist in life. I am interested in finding order among the chaos of everyday living. The delicate point at which opposing forces meet to create balance is what fascinates me.
As I begin a painting, I have no preconceived notion of what it will look like when it is completed. It is an intuitive process as I pour, drip or splash the paint onto the paper. There is a sense of directional control, but I allow the paint to find it’s own path. Going through life, we are not shown the obstacles that are ahead of us, or the blessings that will be given. We simply walk blindly, relying on our faith to drive us and guide our path.
My visual inspiration comes from seeds and the way they parallel human growth and development. Their delicate forms provide an environment in which new life begins to sprout and acquire an identity of its own. The seed itself is a necessary component, although what is protected inside is really most important. In order to portray this idea, my seed-like vessels are delicately drawn with graphite and appear to blend into the white background. The sprout of the seed contrasts with the rest of the composition through its bold color and distinctive form, creating an emphasis on growth, change and evolution.
