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No. 4 – Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Queensland – Australia Photographed by Karen Robinson Abstract Artist 2011.JPG
INTRODUCTION
I started painting again as an adult, at the beginning of 2008. It was a way of dealing with deeply personal feelings, emotions and thoughts. In November 2008 my husband was diagnosed with Lymphoma and endured chemotherapy for a period of three months. He is now thankfully in full remission. In November 2009, our son was killed in a single vehicle car crash just before his 26th birthday. To say the least, this period of time in our family’s lives, was a most challenging time. My husband and I lost a son and my daughter lost her only brother – it was tragic. I fell into a deep depression and experienced post-traumatic stress and feelings of utter despair for a number of years onwards.
No. 17 – Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Queensland – Australia Photographed by Husband of Karen Robinson Abstract Artist 2014.JPG
My art practices became a major component of my life during those years. I found that I was using art as therapy. It was not something that I had consciously looked to do, and it had only been during this year 2014 that I had come to understand this fully. My full appreciation for what art can offer someone like me, has been realized during my commencement of this weblog. It gave me a chance to review the last seven years of my life and the role that art as therapy has played within those years.
PAINTING STORY
Over recent years, I have slowly found ways of finding joy in everyday life and my painting below was inspired by one of those joyous occasions…
Painting No. 57 – Titled “Of Golden Sands, Sun and Sea” Sept 2014, acrylic on canvas, 97 cms length x 102 cms wide x 3cms deep and as featured below was inspired by a visit to my sister’s Broadbeach home with my husband in early 2014. Broadbeach is just south of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Broadbeach has beautiful surf beaches that stretch for miles in either direction of the shore line. It faces onto the great Pacific Ocean and has a big blue sky that saws up into the heavens and beyond. It has a subtropical climate and most of the year it favours warm temperatures and experiences a summer wet season. All this makes it a major holiday destination.
It was a real privilege to be able to spend days enjoying its golden sands, sun and sea. My Sister was a great host and ensured we enjoyed our stay. I have very fond memories of my time there with my husband and my sister. The painting is dedicated to that memory. In the top left and right corner you can see a representation of the sun; below is the Pacific Ocean and then its golden sands. The frangipani, the palm and other flowers and subtropical plants shown in the painting can be found in her garden. Staying with my sister brought back some fond memories, I have as a child, growing up in Northern Queensland and the wonderful childhood adventures we had as small children in the sun, sand and sea…
USING PHOTOGRAPHY AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
I don’t call myself a photographer as such but a phototaker. My whole life I have always been interested in taken photos. Back when I was a young women, owning a camera was a luxury and having photos printed was very expensive. In today’s world taking photos has never been easier and very affordable. I often take photos and use them as a source of inspiration for my art work. The following photos were the sources of inspiration for the above Painting No. 57 – Titled “Of Golden Sands, Sun & Sea” Sept 2014.
CONCLUSION
Photo taking and abstract painting serves me well as a tool to express myself artistically…art for therapy at its best I feel…
Whilst you are here – please check out my home page! My Art Therapy Journey – A window into the soul of an Abstract Artist through art therapy and storytelling…by Karen Robinson
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