https://steemitimages.com/DQmTyDC1dDsWS3Gmi5LKPy6wmYd4DMhs6wMfUuqdTN7c4Kq/hello2.png

I am a mixed media artist living in beautiful Portland, Oregon. In 2012, I made my 1300 mile move to Portland from my hometown Bismarck, North Dakota to continue my growth as an artist. This move was far outside my comfortable, familiar world, but that proved to help me in more ways than I ever thought possible. While I never ran out of subjects or the interest to paint in the years before, I had yet to find the mediums and styles that fueled me with a fiery passion. Little did I know, it was just around the corner and in an unfamiliar place- but I will get to that in a bit!

In 2016 I received my bachelor's degree in Art Practices from Portland State University, as well as a Student Achievement Award for the work I did during my last term. While many had expressed to me their doubts about the value of an art degree in today’s society, I ended up leaving with an invaluable set of tools, lessons, and creative connections that will forever influence my life’s work.

My Work

https://steemitimages.com/DQmQvURGPMjELPbSJeBUav1aDWYiKU2Guu235iyk3tNqcMb/Submission_2.jpg

_{Acrylic and ink on 30 x 40" board, 2015}

The most common aspect between all of my pieces is the inclusion of paint. With acrylic and ink mediums as the foundation of most my work, I create mixed media pieces through various analog and digital means. My focus on process enables me to develop forms that do not follow logical criteria, but instead are based on subjective associations and formal parallels.

This "focus on process" became a crucial turning point for my work and my artistic identity. In 2014 I became extremely interested in Surrealist Automatism and its ability to tap into the unconscious mind. Conscious control over the creating process is suppressed, allowing the unconscious parts of the mind to have the most influence over the work. This process was so intriguing to me, regardless of the fact that I had been painting in more representational styles for most of my life. I had never felt compelled to create abstract work until this point. All it took was an ink blot to shift my attention to the realm of nonrepresentational painting.

https://steemitimages.com/DQmWFcsMsmGifyem3Lxi6PDH1EhwALd2nUiGd7gwbA28Zg9/IMG_9420.jpg

_{A view of my series of 50 small paintings, 2015}

Letting Intuition Drive

I have never been as excited about a process as I was when I realized how many ways I can utilize this new way of creating. Not having any solid expectations for my pieces allows me to really experiment and play while creating. I could spend hours in a flow state where time stands still and all my attention is funneled into the present. I am more physically, philosophically, and spiritually connected to my art than I ever have been before.
 

_{Organic material and acrylic ink, digital scan 2015}

Exploration is crucial in pushing my concepts and work further. I allow myself freedom with my tools, using various paints, inks, scanners, and photo manipulation programs to make the familiar unfamiliar through chance-based marks and various processes. The piece to the right only exists as a digital file, but was created with flower petals, ink, water, and two pieces of plexiglass (one black, one clear). This piece came from a burst of rage I felt just minutes after discovering the deception of a love interest. I randomly dropped petals and ink all over the black plexi glass, smushed the clear plexi on top without paying any attention to what image may have formed, and scanned it into the computer. You can imagine my surprise when the image that popped up on the bright LED screen resembled an anatomical heart suspended in open space. Those magical moments keep me going.

 

https://steemitimages.com/DQmduv7mrVqP6F5BKnHkXKZCDmV4kr8KqkCZ8kH1s8pq2gL/2.jpg

_{Acrylic and alcohol ink, digital scan, 2016}

Moving Forward

I was as happy as any other graduate about getting my diploma, but I knew I was going to lose access to all of the parts of my practice that kept me creating with ease. I struggled with this at first, falling into a hiatus from my art for almost a year. I lacked the space, the materials, and the peers that I was used to, and my health and energy felt depleted from complications with an endocrine disorder I was diagnosed with just a year prior to graduating. I felt like I lost control of my life, but in due time, after loads of encouragement from my loved ones, I picked up a paint brush again.  

_{Watercolor and gouache on 11 x 14" arches paper, 2017}

I adapted to my lack of resources and space and started working on something that felt manageable in my situation: Watercolor. I found energy in the carefully placed paint strokes atop layers and layers of blended washes. This way of working, although drastically different than what I had focused on for years beforehand, helped me reconnect with the medium that I started with as a child. It felt like therapy. After months of painting this way, I gradually started creating ink blots again.

What felt like a dark period eventually opened me up to finding more ways I love to create. I learned to appreciate the ebb and flow, and to love both the dark and light places my creativity stems from. My work is versatile, and I hope that will set me up for whatever inspiration comes my way. I used to feel like I had to box myself into that "one thing," but I am so glad my life and art practices showed me otherwise.

https://steemitimages.com/DQmXN3Xb3emDU8yygjvxeu9TDhuiqFg6vzMMkLqjaKkHLyi/Submission_pheasant.jpg

_{Watercolor and gouache on 22 x 36" board, 2015}

So here's to moving forward, with all of my tools and lessons alongside me. I am so excited about the technology and community behind Steemit, and I can't wait to continue to share my passion on this platform!

#art #abstractart #artist #painter #watercolor #digitalart

Emily Conlon