Featured Artist Regina Davidson has a beautifully textured portfolio of abstract art. Find out more about her fascinating work by visiting her website.
I have no memories of deciding to “become” an artist. It seems as if I have always drawn and made marks. My decision was more about embracing the fact that I was an artist. After much soul searching, I decided that I had to be true to my calling in life and silence the art critic inside myself. This has allowed me to more fully enjoy the creative process.
When I create, my inner child is let lose to do whatever she pleases with the paint for that particular day. My best pieces come about freely and without a deadline or a set agenda. I make an effort to be true to myself and tap into what is in my subconscious state. Deep within myself there is no one telling me what to paint and how to paint it. There is no pressure to sell or be validated and no struggle between myself and what my tools are doing. There is just me and the paint.
When I can tap into that place within myself where there are no critics, I can create without effort or pressure. That is when I am free to be an artist, allowing the paint to simply flow out of me as if the canvas were painting itself. It sounds simple, but it is the hardest thing for me to do. I hope to get better at it with each painting.
Texture is a favorite part of my paintings. I like to manipulate the surface of a canvas as if I were molding clay. I constantly experiment with the tactile qualities of paint by dragging, scraping, or building up the layers on my canvas. I feel experimentation stretches my abilities and allows me to grow as an artist.
Using a combination of different tools in the application of the paint not only varies the textural quality of the canvas, but makes a piece more exciting to engage. By adding texture to my palette, I can create a parallel between mood and movement.
It also adds a second layer of interest and depth. The textures can be used for added rhythm, pattern, and movement. I even add found objects or pieces of stamped clay to my more expressive work.
I have discovered that once natural light casts shadows across the hills and valleys of a painting, that I have added yet another element to my composition. My goal is to intensify the viewer’s experience and create the impulse to touch the surface and interact with a painting on a physical as well as spiritual level.
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