"Walkabout" (36 x 36 acrylic on canvas) is the most current of seven of my paintings included in the "Fresh OUTLOUD!" exhibit at Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center (April 4–26, 2015). Walkabout is quite different from most of my paintings with its undulating, curvilinear forms as well as the density of the composition. The point of departure began with circular mark-making...loads and loads of circles or spheres. It was too much. The spheres were all the same size. It didn't work at all. It was so bad it was funny (better to laugh than cry). I knew I had to reign in the spheres, combine them, morph them, and change their scale. For whatever reason, the process took an eternity. Each day I would approach my easel, proclaiming that, "Today, I will complete this painting." And each day I would walk away from the unfinished canvas, dejected that I was unable to resolve the composition. I know the journey is the destination, but this went on and on for weeks. Finally, I hit the point where the painting felt resolved. What should I title it? "Walkabout" immediately came to mind.
"Walkabout" felt like the perfect title because the forms are somewhat reminiscent (a very loose interpretation) of Australian Aboriginal dot painting. The term 'walkabout' refers to a commonly believed rite of passage during which Australian Aborigines would undergo a journey during adolescence and live in the wilderness for a period as long as six months (Wikipedia). While it didn't take me six months to complete the painting, it most certainly felt like a journey. The painting also marks a transition point in my personal journey. In recent weeks I began dedicating a lot more time to making art. This has been something I've worked toward for a long time, making very little progress, when suddenly a shift occurred. I believe a lot of factors contribute to this shift… my daughter will be graduating from college next month (a major milestone for both daughter and her single mom!), I've created positive client boundaries in my design business and I'm finally ready to leap—committing myself to whatever it takes to make this happen!
I hope you'll stop by the Delaplaine Center to see our exhibit. If you're successfully navigating a transition in your life, I'd love to hear your story!