POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH: Improving one’s sense of wellbeing using art, creative writing, photography and blogging – my journey written by ©Karen Robinson. Please click here for my latest blog news!
No. 3 of 44 – Painting process for Painting No. 60 – Title “Brick Wall” May 2015 with Painting No. 61 ‘Sweet Dreams’ at back – by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson NB All images are protected by copyright laws.JPG
About Abstract Painting Portfolio 2015 – Painting Nos. 59, 60, 61, 62A, 62B and 63 2015
My art therapy journey has been about being able to find meaning and purpose in everyday life. Much of my earlier art work has been about very personal feelings, emotions and thoughts about loss and grief. But slowly and surely, art has brought me to a place where I look for joy in each and every day!
Painting No. 59 – Title “Brighton Bathing Boxes”
Abstract Painting No. 59 – ‘Brighton Bathing Boxes’ Acrylic on Canvas – 105cms Length x 60cms Wide x 3cms Deep by Abstract Painting Karen Robinson Jan 2015.JPG
- Acrylic on Canvas
- January 2015
- 105cms Length x 60cms Wide x 3cms Deep NB: Unframed
Painting Story
Australia Day for me, is about taking some time out to look at, how fortunate we are to be able to live in a free and multi cultural society and democratic country, such as Australia. It’s a time to reflect on those that have offered us inspiration; reflect on those that go quietly about doing good for others with little recognition; and to take part in the pleasures of spending time with family and friends. Photo taking is one of my art for therapy activities and with my husband, we drove to Dendy Street Beach this 2015 Australia Day weekend and took a series of photos of the iconic Brighton Bathing Boxes and its surrounding area. As an abstract artist and photo-taker, I was particularly interested in the amazing colours of the bathing boxes themselves and how the owners of them had used their artistic imagination to give each one an individual personally! This day was my source of inspiration for the above Painting No. 59 Title “Brighton Bathing Boxes”.
© Karen Robinson, January 2015
Written and Painted by Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist/Blogger/Story-teller/Photo-taker NB: Please click here to read the back-story for Painting No. 59 Title ‘Brighton Bathing Boxes’
Painting No. 60 – Title “Brick Wall”
Painting No. 60 – Title “Brick Wall” Acrylic on Canvas 100cms Length x 100cms Wide x 3 cms Deep – by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson May 2015. NB All images are protected by copyright laws (2). JPG
- Acrylic on Canvas
- May 2015
- 100cms Length x 100cms Wide x 3cms Deep
Painting Story
This painting was inspired by thoughts of my life! We get a life to build and each brick in that wall of life represents our struggles and our successes – our human endeavors. In my wall, the black represents grief, despair and sadness, the yellow represents sunny joyous happy days, the orange/red represents anger and frustration, the pink represents passion and love, the green represents steadiness and security, the brown represents the ‘done-and-dusted’ and the forgotten, the grey represents dullness and boredom, the purple represents adventure and secrets I have shared, and the pale blue represents ‘the sky’s the limit’!..
© Karen Robinson, May 2015
Written and Painted by Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist/Blogger/Story-teller/Photo-taker NB: Please click here to read the back-story for Painting No. 60 Title ‘Brick Wall’
Painting No. 61 – Title “Sweet Dreams”
Painting No. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’ Acrylic on Canvas 100cms Length x 100cms Wide x 3cms Deep by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson Feb 2015. NB All images are protected by copyright. JPG
- Acrylic on Canvas
- February 2015
- 100cms Length x 100cms Wide x 3cms Deep
Painting Story
This painting was inspired by a conversation that I had with my sister. She was talking about an ambition, a goal, a dream she wanted to achieve in her life. It got me thinking about the dreams I have had and wanted to come true in my life. How some of my dreams/desires have eventuated and how others have gone ‘belly up” hence one of the fish, in the painting is featured in such a way ‘belly up’, just above my signature! We all need dreams that we work towards achieving. Dreams where anything seems possible. My sister’s dream was cemented in an image of a sea merchant and fish, and the love of the ocean. I took that thought, that image and created my own dream like image – being a Frenchman, perhaps a simple fisherman with a red beret and stripped T-shirt, handkerchief tied around his neck, dark Mediterranean skin, swirly whiskers, and deep blue eyes. My fisherman is enjoying the warm seas where delightful, colourful fish reside and frolic playfully with each other. Their have ruby-red lips, golden faces and colourful jewel like scales. They are almost flirting with the fisherman in my painting. At the top of the painting – is a hot summer sun, reaching out over mother earth and a deep blue sky reaching back into the heavens. Throughout the painting are silver frosted waves that gentle move across the pretty blue waters – magically twinkling. I called this painting ‘sweet dreams’ as it reminded me of the times I would say to my children when they were very little, just after they were tucked into their beds at night and just after giving them a kiss on the forehead – ‘sweet dreams…
© Karen Robinson, February 2015
Written and Painted by Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist/Blogger/Story-teller/Photo-taker NB: Please click here to read the back-story for Painting No. 61 Title ‘Sweet Dreams’
Painting No. 62A – Title “Two Women Talking”
Abstract Painting No. 62A Titled ‘Two Women Talking’ Acrylic on Canvas 55 cms Length x 55 cms Wide x 3 cms Deep by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson Aug 2015 Images Copyright Protected. JPG
- Acrylic on Canvas
- August 2015
- 55cms Length x 55cms Wide x 3cms Deep
Painting No. 62B – Title “Two Women Talking”
Abstract Painting No. 62B Titled ‘Two Women Talking’ Acrylic on Canvas 55 cms Length x 55 cms Wide x 3 cms Deep by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson Aug 2015 Images Copyright Protected. JPG
- Acrylic on Canvas
- August 2015
- 55cms Length x 55cms Wide x 3cms Deep
Paintings Story
These two paintings are about the times my sister and I set aside to talk, to catch up, to listen, to speak, to share, to reflect, to consider each others words that are representative our thoughts and feelings. As sisters these conversations can be deeply personal as we often talk about matters that are troubling us as individuals. There is always a moment during our talks to share good news which ensures we leave feeling hopeful. Listening plays a major part in these catch ups and sometimes our conversations require carefully considered responses. We have not always enjoyed having this kind of relationship and there was a period of time where we hadn’t talked for many years. We shared a very troubled childhood which has left us both struggling with childhood wounds that can make dealing with day-to-day living, difficult at times. These catch ups have become an important part of our sister relationship, especially now as we grow older, where our time will pass and the memories of us as people, will be left behind with our children. I hope that my sister’s daughter and my daughter will in their lives as they grow older, take up the opportunity to enrich their lives with catch up times with each other – perhaps they will talk about us – their mothers – we hope they will think and speak kindly of us…
© Karen Robinson, October 2015
Written and Painted by Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist/Blogger/Story-teller/Photo-taker NB: Please click here to read the back-story for Paintings Nos. 62A and 62B Titled ‘Two Women Talking’
Painting No. 63 – Title “Heart of Treasured Memories”
Painting No. 63 – Title “Heart of Treasured Memories” Acrylic/Ink/Sequins/Embroidered Flowers on Canvas 79 cms Length x 74 cms Wide x 0 cms Deep NB: Not framed just bare edged canvas backed onto strip of time for hanging Oct/Nov/Dec 2015 – by Abstract Artist: Karen Robinson Oct/Nov/Dec 2015. All images are protected by copyright laws. JPG
- Acrylic/Ink/Sequins/Embroidered Flowers on Canvas
- Oct/Nov/Dec 2015
- 79cms Length x 74cms Wide x 0cms Deep NB: Not framed just bare edged canvas backed onto strip of timber for hanging
Painting Story
My art therapy artwork was inspired by words I had spoken some years ago during an interview with TAC about my use of art as therapy in dealing with grief and despair which I had been experiencing since the loss of my son Ben, in a single vehicle car crash on 5 November 2009. These words that I had said were “I need to hold the best of Ben in my heart”. So it was these words that inspired me to firstly create a large pink heart that heart would not just hold the memories of my son Ben, but it should also hold the best of memories of those dearest to me being my husband, my daughter and my sister as well. I surrounded my heart of memories in a beautiful warm tangerine colour. At the top of the canvas are small blackish shadows which are representative of dark clouds and the tiny blue heart sequins are tears of love which have fallen from the clouds. I placed a bright blue line above the heart which is like a catchment of these tears, but still there are some that fall upon the heart of memories. On the base of the canvas, I placed a dark green line being a place of growth, a pretty flower garden of joy and peace featuring delightful green butterflies of hope, floating up in and around my heart of memories. Within my heart of treasured memories are beautiful flowers and sparkling green glittered stems. Surrounding my heart, I have written words about my loved ones and I wrote them especially small so that the viewer of my artwork would need to come up close to read my precious words and these are those words: “Try to build in my heart the best of those I love, my darling dear husband whom I treasure, who has been so good to me throughout all the years of our marriage; my sweet, loving, caring daughter who is strong and gentle to her parents at the same time, my sister whom I have shared many troubles with – we are still talking; and my son gone but never forgotten – we miss you forever”.
© Karen Robinson, December 2015
Written and Painted by Karen Robinson – Abstract Artist/Blogger/Story-teller/Photo-taker NB: Please click here to read the back-story for Painting No. 63 Title ‘Heart of Treasured Memories’
CONCLUSION
The process of painting, painting story writing and digital photo painting/taking has offered me a way of expressing thoughts and emotions which can be difficult to say out loud. I also came to understanding that art can be a very powerful way of communicating with others. Therapy via art gave me a voice and my art therapy journey has become an important part of my life in recent years and still will be an important part of my life in years to come. I am hoping that by sharing my art therapy journey, will inspire others, to take up art therapy to find their voice – in order to be able to move forward in most difficult of times. Art Therapy has brought me now to a much better place where I find myself being able to seek joy in every day. As an ongoing process, I will be blogging about my art therapy journey “moving forward” and expand on how others have used/are using art therapy to assist physical and emotional well-being. I hope you will join me!
No. 21 of 44 – Painting process for Painting No. 60 – Title “Brick Wall” May 2015 – by Abstract Artist Karen Robinson NB All images are protected by copyright laws.JPG
© Karen Robinson – January 2016
POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH: Improving one’s sense of wellbeing using art, creative writing, photography and blogging – my journey written by ©Karen Robinson. Please click here for my latest blog news!
ido art karen robinson 
Have a nice nice week as your art!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much and you too …. warm regards Karen
LikeLiked by 1 person