Heart is what keeps me in the flow, in coherence with what is. I try my best to listen in, and from there I choose material to partner with. The great variety of materials I draw from enables me to have a range of expressions, to be fluid and in tune with them. Making marks with ink, pen or a bar of melting encaustic paint gives me a feel for gesture and movement where I find myself to be free, open, playful. Those are qualities I pay attention to when I create. Pieces of thread that are stitched or collaged on paper also embody playfulness through their shape, placement. They remind me too of the process of connecting and following the thread of inspiration that moves through me.
Heart is what mentors me in the art of movement, movement guided by a balance between being active and letting go. I embrace a sense of unfolding. Using encaustic paint on a hot plate creates pools of molten wax and when I press the paper onto it to create a monotype, colors swirls, blend. Where the encaustic goes, I follow.
With my ceramic hearts, I let what touches me guide the shape, size, texture, but ultimately they come into being from being released into the alchemy of fire. And those bits of glass that became pools evoking water remind me how much I just dive in and see where it takes me!
What I see embodied in these pieces today and what is part of my art making experience are those very movements of the heart. I am touched and grateful for their presence in my art, in my life, as they connect me to a spirited sense of exploring, discovering, being.
For more about the my work in ceramic, you can view my Cradled Hearts video .
Greetings Cards featuring my artwork – Available at The Island Gallery – Bainbridge Island, WA
Karen Chaussabel 