The work of these artists inhabits an instinctual and soulful feminine world
that emerges directly from a personal vision. Each in their own way, these women
are engaged in a process of exploring that which can be intuited, but never
rationally explained. They have in common an intense desire to express the deepest
part of themselves, to discover their true nature, to attempt to understand
the mysteries of life, death, and the universe, and to give shape to existence
itself. What they discover through the process of self expression is a revelation,
an illumination, an inner awareness, a metaphor for their very lives.
This work requires courage, an open heart and mind, a desire to truly see and
know, and the ability to trust one’s inner voice. These artists are spiritual
warriors, unafraid to face shadow; and willing to embrace the joy and beauty
of life. Women especially seem receptive to the unconscious world; a landscape
of intuition and dreams, of nature and its mysterious phenomena, of contradictions
and enigmas...the landscape of the dark night of the soul. Jung recognized that
artists must have the courage to go into the primal mud, to face the terror
of the chaos, because that’s where the seeds of the new future lie. As
Jung said “It is in the healing of the psychic wounds that we come to know
ourselves.” And in making art we are diving into the process. It is a heroine’s
journey, as Joseph Campbell described it...and heroic journeys always lead through
dark valleys and a succession of trials. As these artists decide to connect
with their essential beingness, experiences with death, loss, suffering, relationships
and memories serve as the fodder for creative exploration. the art making process
becomes a tool of transformation that can heal our psyche.
The treasure is released, the beauty is expressed, and the authenticity revealed
as we come to the center of our own existence. Through these personal journeys,
a universal chord of truth is rung. We feel our connection with other women
on the same path as we recognize ourselves in the realm of their archetypal
imagery.
TRANSformation
In
my paintings I try to explore the paradoxes and contradictions inherent in human
experience, the beauty of life and its shadow. As my work takes on a life of
its own, the tension that the opposite forces create become apparent. Through
the frustrations of art making, in giving up my delusions of perfection, and
accepting my own imperfect humanity with all its eccentricities and idiosyncrasies,
my authentic self is revealed. The work, like a dream, emerges from that unknown
place in myself that holds the true reflection of who I am.
- Miriam Wosk