I Do Art Discussion No. 20 – “Green Peace and Human Nature” by Karen Robinson

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Synergy Gallery Exhibition 2009 Painting Nos. 26A and 26B Title 'Green Peace and Human Nature' Sept-Oct 2008 151cms Length x 61cms Wide x 3cms Deep by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson Images protected copyright .JPG

Synergy Gallery Exhibition 2009 Painting Nos. 26A and 26B Title ‘Green Peace and Human Nature’ Sept-Oct 2008 151cms Length x 61cms Wide x 3cms Deep by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson Images protected copyright .JPG

 

INTRODUCTION

This pair of abstract paintings Nos. 26A and 26B – titled ‘Green Peace and Human Nature’ as shown above and below, is part of my abstract painting portfolio.  I had completed them in the year that I had decided to take some time out from work, for the first time in my life to recharge my batteries, so to speak!  During this period of time, the plan was to work out what I wanted to do with myself, being that the children were all grown up now and living their lives independently of their parents, as adult children should do.  It was truly a luxury for sure, to take time out, but a very necessary one for me, as I had been suffering a lot of anxiety and panic attacks during the course of my work. So to rebuild myself and regain a sense of quiet control of my life, I took up my childhood love of painting and creative writing.

 

PAINTING DETAILS – ‘Green Peace and Human Nature’

 

  • Painting Nos. 26 A&B Titled:  ‘Green Peace & Human Nature’
  • Acrylic on Canvas
  • 151cms Length x 61cms Wide x 3cms Deep (Each Painting)
  • Sept/Oct 2008
  • Abstract Artist – Karen Robinson

 

PAINTING STORY – ‘Green Peace & Human Nature’

Writing the painting story is always, an important part of my art for therapy journey.

This two-part painting is about the impact we have on our earth. How the health of our planet is all in our control. How the choices we make on marking its surfaces; and using its resources holds an incredible responsibility. How there is many parts of our planet suffering from our human intervention. And how there are other parts which are sustaining great beauty. My mother said to me once ‘Life is like a path of snow, be careful how you tread it, for every mark will show’. My painting shows our human marks and the question …… are our marks benefiting our earth or making it sick. Hope is expressed in these paintings via the use of bright colours which is representative of our youth of the future!  Hopefully our youth of the future will find better ways to preserve our planet…so that it will sustain us for many more future generations of people, plants and animals…

Written by Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist 2014

 

PAINTING PROCESS

My painting process starts with a conception as described above.  With this concept, I pencil sketch onto my canvas, the outline.  Then I paint, one colour at a time on the canvas, allowing each colour to dry throughly, before starting with another colour.  Once the entire sketch on the canvas has been painted, with a single layer of Matisse acrylic paint, I repeat the process another two times, to obtain a richness of each colour.

 

 

After allowing the painting to throughly dry, I then sign and date the painting on the bottom righthand corner.  I also turn my painting over and put all the relevant details on the back of the canvas.  I then spray varnish it three times which gives it a nice shine.  In order to keep track of my work – I photograph the painting; write the painting story; print it off and put a hard copy in my art portfolio folder; and then write the blog.  Quiet a process!

This particular painting was the very first painting where I started using Matisse  Structure ‘Metallic Copper and Metallic Silver’ colours.  They are not easy to work with and I found it hard to get an even coating, but in the end, I just accepted the look I had achieved. I also found these colours hard to photograph.  Whilst they look lovely in reality, in the photos they lack the luster and the colours look dull and flat.  I do love of the look of them with the naked eye though!

 

 

 

SYNERGY GALLERY EXHIBITION 2009

In June 2009, I had to opportunity to exhibit this pair of paintings in an Exhibition called “Ways Out – Journeys through Recovery” at Synergy Gallery, 253 High Street, Northcote.  The exhibition was part of Northcote’s Visual Arts Festival 2009.  It was my very first experience in exhibiting, and a great opportunity to be part of a community event.  It gave me the chance to meet other artists where we were able to exchange ideas and chat about our own art work experiences.  We also had the chance to interact with the general public during the exhibition opening night which turned out to be a very enriching experience!

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

Since 2008, I have been using art therapy along with creative writing processes as a means of improving my sense of wellbeing.  Whilst I paint for myself – it is wonderful to share with others my art for therapy journey by taking up small opportunities to exhibit.  It has given me the opportunity to talk directly with viewers about their thoughts, impressions of my work.  It has also allowed me to understand more fully how art is a powerful way of being able to communicate with others.  It can get people to stop, think and question, it can give them something to mull over long after they have viewed the art work its self.   For detailed accounts of some of my other paintings please click here

 

NB:  To view my Abstract Painting Gallery, please click here. Whilst you are here – please check out my home page! 

My Art Therapy JourneyA window into the soul of an Abstract Artist through art therapy and storytellingby Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist/Blogger/Story-teller/Photo-taker

I Do Art Discussion No. 16 – “Piece of Mind” by Karen Robinson

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INTRODUCTION

Since the commencement of my weblog April 2014, I have been periodically blogging about certain art works within my art portfolio.  Since 2008, the act of painting has proved to be a very important process I have used for myself, as a form of therapy whilst caring for my husband during 2008/2009 when he was receiving and recovering from chemotherapy; and during my grieving process for the loss of my son in 2009.  Five years plus onwards, painting, along with my creative writing endeavours, continues to be an important part of my well-being. For me as the painter, the painting story is just as important as the art work itself, as it helps the viewer of my art work be able to make an informed connection.  And through this connection, I also hope it will help give the viewer something meaningful to think about – long after viewing the art work its self…

 

 

PAINTING DETAILS:  Painting No. 3 – Title “Piece of Mind” Acrylic on Canvas Feb 08  – 60cms Length x 50cms Wide x 1cm Deep by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson

 

PAINTING PROCESS

At the commencement of my painting journey in 2008,  I had purchased some very cheap canvases from the local market along with some inexpensive paints and brushes.  I was still learning about the whole process of painting and it was not until a very kind person in an art gallery I was visiting once, opposite the market, had told me that I really should invest in good canvases, paints and brushes.  It was after receiving this advice that I promptly went about researching and purchasing quality archival art products.

This painting above which I called  “Piece of Mind” was the third painting I had ever done as an adult. It is small in size, but over time I progressed to larger size canvases as my confidence and experience increased.  During the painting of this painting, I found that in order to gain a good coverage of paint, I had to paint each section 3 to 4 times.  This was due to the poor quality paint and canvas I was using at the time and it was the only way I could get the colours to pop.  I then finished off the painting with a layer of clear vanish to help the colours standout even more as well as helping to protect the canvas overall.

 

PAINTING STORY

The inspiration for this painting came from a moment I was looking back over my life and thinking about Belgravia where I held my last place of full-time employment.  Unbeknown to me it became the last time I embarked on work that I considered part of my career path.  I remember about how difficult it was and how much work related stress I had endured.  The demands of being a wife and being up two children also weighted heavily on my mind.  There were times I felt I was not making the grade in either arena. The demands of the position whilst very challenging and at times with the travel exciting, became a place where I felt like I was drowning and the only way out was to resign.  It took me over 3 months to make that final decision to take that dramatic step and hand in my resignation.  I have not regretted my decision to date and as it turned out it has been the best decision I could have made.  12 months on I was to face the biggest challenges in my life being my husband’s diagnoses of cancer 2008 and the death of my son in 2009.  It took all my strength as a human being to weather those times and art and creative writing became my way of staying sane.  Below is what I had originally written about the above painting, back in 2008:

“A jigsaw of a mind in thought! During my time at Belgravia, much was going on in my mind. Many tasks to complete, many goals to achieve, many new experiences to survive, enjoy and stress over. Many budgets to
reach, many meetings to attend, many flights to catch, many miles to travel. A very exciting and stressful but personally rewarding time in my life.”

NB:  Belgravia was my last place of full-time employment and unbeknown to me it became the last time I embarked on work that I considered part of my career path.

 

CONCLUSION

The painting features lots of pieces which was indicative of how I felt when working at Belgravia.  There was just so many demands of myself; demands from upper management but also demands I had placed upon myself within my family life.  The title of the painting is a play on words.  Rather than calling it  a ‘peace of mind’ which work was not, I called it ‘piece of mind’.  I found myself during this period of my life desperately looking for ‘peace of mind’ which, at last I have finally found.  This ‘peace of mind’ so to speak, is being sustained through my art and creative writing processes.

 

NB:  To view my Abstract Painting Gallery, please click here. Whilst you are here – please check out my home page! 

My Art Therapy JourneyA window into the soul of an Abstract Artist through art therapy and storytellingby Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist/Blogger/Writer/Photo-taker

I Do Art Discussion No. 14 – “Arctic Pole Flatlining”

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INTRODUCTION

 

National Geographic. (n.d.) Polar Bear on Ice. [Photo I.D. 28044.jpg]. Retrieved October 19, 2014.png

Education National Geographic. (n.d.) Polar Bear on Ice. [Photo I.D. 28044.jpg]. Retrieved October 19, 2014 from education.nationalgeographic.com.png

 

My ‘art as therapy’ journey, has had me paint, about world-wide issues for which I am greatly concerned about.  Global warming is one of these matters; it can cause the rising of seas, change rainfall patterns, increase likelihood of extreme weather events, lead to the melting of glaciers, contribute to the widespread vanishing of animal populations due to loss of habitat, assist in the spread of disease such as malaria to new, now warmer regions, lead to the bleaching of Coral Reefs due to warming seas and acidification due to carbonic acid formation and loss of Plankton also due to warmer seas (NMSEA.ORG. n.d.).  In action or not enough action will devastate our planet.

The health of polar bears is an indication to the health of their environment (National Geographic. n.d)  According to some researchers, the melting of Arctic ice is ‘stranding and starving polar bears’ which will therefore threaten their future existance (National Geographic. n.d). It was after watching a documentary about the loss of Arctic Polar bear habitat due to the melting of ice at the North Pole, that I really felt compelled to do the following painting.

 

PAINTING No. 29 – Title “Arctic Pole Flatlining” Acrylic on Canvas Oct/Nov 08     1.2cms Length x 84cms Wide x 3cms Deep

 

PAINTING STORY

This painting represents the drastic changes to glaciers, an ominous sign of global warming. The Arctic’s ice shelves are melting away and causing rises in sea levels which in turn is changing the home environment of its Arctic animals.

The first upper section of the above painting represents glaciers in their full form and the in between section of the painting represents the gradual melting of them. In the lower section of the painting, the glaciers are melting down; they are flatlining! This ‘flatlining’ as I decided to call it, is a terminology that means ‘to die or be so near death that the display of one’s vital signs on medical monitoring equipment shows a flat line rather than peaks and troughs – to remain at a continuous low level’. The title that I assigned to this painting, seemed most appropriate to me, when taking into account the impact global warming is having and will continue to have, on our planet for generations to come…

 

ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

In these two documentaries following, Sir David Attenborough highlights the truth about climate change.  I have so must respect for him in the way he has, over so many years, brought to us in our homes via many documentaries, a deeper insight into the importance of valuing our planet and all its inhabitants.

THE TRUTH ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE – David Attenborough (BBC – Part 1)

THE TRUTH ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE – David Attenborough (BBC – Part 1)

 

Greenpeace International Cartoon titled 'Save the Arctic' Image ID: 10898088_10152757856183300_4632952528617693216_n Reference: https://www.facebook.com/greenpeace.international?fref=nf

Greenpeace International Cartoon titled ‘Save the Arctic’ Image ID: 10898088_10152757856183300_4632952528617693216_n. Retrieved 5th May 2015 Link:  https://www.facebook.com/greenpeace.international?fref=nf

 

CONCLUSION

It is interesting to view the world through the eyes of Sir David Attenborough and how over many years he has witness alarming global changes to our planet, just as I have in my own home land of Australia.  His artful documentary productions showcase the wonders of our ‘blue planet’ and just how important it is that we all take care of it for now and for future generations to come after us. It’s our greatest responsiblity…

 

EcoWatch. (2014). Celebrating small blueplanet.Retreived from Ecowatch.com.jpg

EcoWatch. (2014). Celebrating small blueplanet.Retreived from Ecowatch.com.jpg

 

 

NB:  To view my Abstract Painting Gallery, please click here. Whilst you are here – please check out my home page! 

My Art Therapy JourneyA window into the soul of an Abstract Artist through art therapy and storytellingby Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist/Blogger/Writer/Photo-taker

I Do Art Discussion No. 10 – “My Australia”

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Australia has the most extreme climate variations of any continent on earth!” (ABC 2. 1999).  As a child and as an adult having lived in Australia all my life, from far northern Queensland in Cooktown and Cairns, and varying other towns/cities along the eastern coast of Australia, born in country NSW and spending most of my teenage and adult life in Melbourne Victoria – I have witnessed such variations.

During 2006/2007, whilst working for Belgravia, I travelled with my husband through Southern Queensland, coastal NSW and country Victoria – Australia.  I saw much of eastern Australia during one of its driest periods of time in recorded history. What was most striking, was the lack of water; especially in the rivers and creeks.  When I was a very young girl, I had travelled with my family, the same travel routes, a number of times, where water was in abundance. It was very saddening and served as a deep reminder to me that we, meaning Australians, need to value and preserve our water supply – this resource that can be so limited in one season and so plentiful in another.

This work travel experience inspired me to paint the following abstract painting in memory of that trip.  In memory of a land I love so much…

Painting No. 14 Titled “Australia” Apr/May 2008
Acrylic on Canvas
92cms Length x 92cms Wide x 3cms Deep
Abstract Artist: Karen Robinson
NB: All images are protected by copyright laws!

Australia is well noted for its floods, draughts and bush fires causing hardship to anyone affected during these natural disasters. Dorothea Mackellar’s famous Australian poem “My Country” was written by her when she was just 19 while home sick in England (Mackellar’s. 2011).  The poem talks of a longing for one’s homeland, a love and a passion for the land its self and a deep understanding that it is the land that sustains life. This poem is a reminder to me that I and fellow Australians, need to cherish our land, treasure our country!  It has never been so important in our time, to do so for future generations.  As a child growing up in Australia, I heard Dorothea Mackellar’s poem recited many times and every time I heard it and even today when I hear it, her poem pulls at my heart-strings. Especially the most famous section of the poem that starts with “I love a sunburnt country….

My Country

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror –
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die –
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold –
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land –
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand –
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

Author Dorothea Mackellar (Dorothea Mackellar. 2011)

The below ABC 2 Documentary “Australia – Eye of the Storm – La Nina” (1999) is part of a series about “La Nina a climate phenomena, the sister of El Nino (ABC 2. 1999).  Where El Nino left drought, La Nina causes floods, massive cyclones and endless rain.  This YouTube Documentary is about the “story of Australia’s unique creatures and how they cope with this catastrophe” (ABC 2. 1999).

My abstract painting is really about my relationship with my home country Australia.  How beautiful and unique she is – how I have witness the seasons.  How as a child she was my friend.  How I fear for her future…

Whilst you are here – please check out my home page!  My Art Therapy JourneyA window into the soul of an Abstract Artist through art therapy and storytellingby Karen Robinson

Reference:

Mackellar, D. (2011). Poem My Country. Retrieved July 1, 2014 from http://www.dorotheamackellar.com.au/archive/mycountry.htm

Ga. Gov. (n.d). Map of Australia. [Image ID: 1073.jpg]. Retrieved July 1, 2014 from http://www.ga.gov.au/images/GA1073.jpg

ABC 2. (1999). Australia – Eye of the Storm – La Nina.  Series/Documentary 1 of 4. [YouTube]. Retrieved July 13, 2014.

I Do Art Discussion No. 1 – “Getting the message out through art expression”

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Within my blogging process, I would like to take the opportunity to feature and discuss individually selected works I have painted in more depth. To show how art can give us a uncensored voice and allow us to express our feelings and emotions.  It can be informative, evoke reactions and actions; it can leave us with a lasting impression!  It can be therapeutic in its processes.  Towards the end of this blog you will note that I have ventured to discuss another artist’s piece of art work which happens to correlate in some forms with this piece of my own art work.

The first of my paintings I would like to discuss is titled “Polluted Olympics” which I completed in 2008.

Painting No. 19 - Title "Polluted Olympics" by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson - 2008 NB: All images are protected by copyright laws!

Painting No. 19 – Title “Polluted Olympics” July/Aug 2008  Acrylic on Canvas  92cms length x 122cms Wide x 3cms Deep – by Abstract Artist: Karen Robinson NB: All images are protected by copyright laws!

 

During my time working with a Australian company that afforded me the good fortune to be able to travel for my work, I had the opportunity to travel to China – Guangzhou during 2006-2007.  Guangzhou is located on the Pearl River; is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province of the People’s Republic of China and with a population of more than 8.525 million people. That’s a lot of people!  It was a major culture shock for me in many ways.  One of the things that dismayed me most, was the dreadful air pollution.  I could not see a sun shape during the day sky or a moon shape during the night sky; sadly just a dull polluted sky during my visits.  I found this shocking as I live in a city, Melbourne Australia where we experience beautiful clear blue skies – most of the time.  It served as a warming to me that we need to take air pollution very seriously, or we too could be a city like Guangzhou China in years to come.

Brown. J.F. (2008, August 8). The Guardian. AFP Getty Images. [Photograph No. brownafp460]. Retrieved May 22 2014 from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/aug/07/china.olympics2008

“The International Olympic Committee chief praised China’s efforts, but reiterated that outdoor endurance events could be postponed if smog levels are too high” (the guardian, August 8 2008).  Brown. J.F. (2008, August 8). The Guardian. AFP Getty Images. [Photograph No. brownafp460]. Retrieved May 22 2014 from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/aug/07/china.olympics2008

My inspiration for this painting “Polluted Olympics” came about in 2008, back in my home land Australia, Melbourne. I was viewing images of Beijing on TV, in relation to the forthcoming Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China with a population from 21,150,000 people which is almost the population for the whole of Australia. Note that the resident population of Australia according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics for 2014 is projected to be approximately 23,497,358!  These TV images in relation to Beijing 2008 Olympic Games air pollution problems, took me back to my time in Guangzhou and my thoughts on the environmental effects of air pollution.

The central feature of my painting “Polluted Olympics” consisted of what has been nick named the “Bird’s Nest” which is Beijing’s official National Stadium.  It was especially designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.  The following YouTube is an interesting documentary on the making of the “Bird’s Nest”.

Reference:  National Geographic Channel. (2013, Apr 26). Megastructures – Beijing National Stadium – the Bird’s Nest. YouTube. Retrieved May 22, 2014 from  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bILacVZJRoU

The “Bird’s Nest” is an extraordinary feat of architecture, engineering and an ambitious design.  For me, its is a work of art!  A symbol of a new Beijing.  It nestles proudly on the horizon of Beijing’s cityscape!

An aerial view shows the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, at the Olympic Green in Beijing July 6, 2008. Picture taken July 6, 2008. REUTERS/Yu Shihai/Beijing Tourism Administration/Handout (CHINA) (BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008 PREVIEW).

An aerial view shows the National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, at the Olympic Green in Beijing July 6, 2008. Picture taken July 6, 2008. REUTERS/Yu Shihai/Beijing Tourism Administration/Handout (CHINA) (BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008 PREVIEW).  Retrieved May 22 2014 from http://beijingbirdsnest.wordpress.com/birds-nest-facts/

My painting “Polluted Olympics” portrays the visible shaping of the ‘Birds Nest’ architecture of sweeping lines and arches of metal.  I coloured these with the olympic ring colours of blue, yellow, black, green and red which represent the five parts of the world that compete against each other.  The grey colour, pooled in the centre of the painting, represents the air pollution and is also symbolic of “the ring of steel” that had also become a focal point of these olympic games.

Chung. D. (August, 25 2008). The Guardian. [Photograph ID:  rings3 1]. Retrieved May 22 2014 from http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/aug/25/olympics20081

Chung. D. (August, 25 2008). The Guardian. [Photograph ID: rings3 1]. Retrieved May 22 2014 from http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/aug/25/olympics20081

I surrounded the outer edging of the painting “Polluted Olympics” with yellow which was representative of the sunniest of marketing ploys to portray all was well with the air quality at Beijing for the 2008 Olympics!

As I was preparing this blog and researching for images, I came across an interesting article about another artist in China call Kong Ning.  The article was called “Artists in China strike blows against the smog” .  “Kong Ning has devoted her life to creating art that expresses her feeling toward the environment she has watched deteriorate around her” (Whelan. May 20 2014).  The deterioration is attributable to the over-reliance on coal-fired power plants and automobile emissions which is an every increasing problem leading to unimaginable smog and haze (Whelan. May 20 2014).  Chinese people are finding creative ways to critique and document their deep concerns through performance art and public creative expression (Whelan. May 20 2014).  This Chinese artist Kong Ning took her art featured below, to Tiananmen Square in protest to the air pollution to help highlight China’s pollution problems (Whelan. May 20 2014).  “Kong Ning hopes to ‘leave her art for later generations’ while also warning people today of the dangers of neglecting their environment” and states “my main goal is to express… a desire to protect the environment and nature and life…because that is essentially all we have, right?” (Whelan. May 20 2014).  I couldn’t have said it better myself and I have such a lot of respect for such an artist who bravely uses her art to promote messages for the greater good of her country.

Whelan. L. (May 20 2014). Grist. Artists in China strike blows against the smog. [Photograph ID:  china-piece 1]. Retrieved May 22 1014 from http://grist.org/climate-energy/artists-in-china-strike-blows-against-the-smog/

Whelan. L. (May 20 2014). Grist. Artists in China strike blows against the smog. [Photograph ID: china-piece 1]. Retrieved May 22 1014 from http://grist.org/climate-energy/artists-in-china-strike-blows-against-the-smog/

Kong Ning hopes to ‘leave her art for later generations’ while also warning people today of the dangers of neglecting their environment” and states “my main goal is to express… a desire to protect the environment and nature and life…because that is essentially all we have, right?” (Whelan. May 20 2014).  I couldn’t have said it better myself and I have such a lot of respect for this artist who bravely uses her art to promote messages for the greater good of her country.

Whilst you are here – please check out my my home page!  I hope you will continue to join on my art therapy journey…Karen Robinson