By Kelsey Overstreet
The creative process is important because it allows us to contribute to society. It allows moments of pause, contemplation, joy, activation, curiosity, wonder and beauty. The arts have always been the pulse of a society and it’s essential for humanity. /The arts and humanities help us to explore what it means to be human. When we engage with great works of art or literature, we confront gfundamental questions about life, love, death, justice and meaning. This leads to greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence. The arts teach us to think creatively and express ourselves in new ways. This creative thinking isn’t just valuable for artists- it’s essential for innovation in all its fields, including science and business. Learning to think “outside the box” starts with exposure to creative works and ideas.
This painting is a meditation on light, shadow, and the interplay of the known and unknown within our lives. On a large canvas, I have carefully traced the shadows cast by various objects – some manmade, some natural – on both the front and back sides. The front displays the expected, familiar shadows we consciously cast into the world through our words, actions, and creations. The back reveals the shadows we unconsciously project, the aspects of ourselves we may not fully understand or control. By giving these traced shadows physical form through embroidery, I elevate both sides to an equal plane. The intricate stitching weaves through the imprints of light and dark, blurring the lines between what we can master and what remains beyond our grasp. There is beauty in both the distinct outlines we impose and the amorphous, undulating shapes that emerge organically. This philosophy connects to Carl Jung’s theories about the unconscious mind and its powerful influence over our conscious selves. The shadows on the back of the canvas represent our hidden complexes, repressed ideas, and untapped potentials – the unseen forces that can guide or derail us. By bringing these shadows into the light through my art, I suggest we should embrace the totality of our psyches. The celebrated poet and philosopher John O’Donohue also spoke of engaging with our multifaceted interior landscapes. In his writing, he urged reverence for “the inviolable dignity of the unknown solitudes” within us. My embroidered shadows echo this sense of wonder and respect for the mysteries pulsing beneath the surface. By interweaving what we can see and understand with what remains elusive, this painting is an ode to the broad spectrums of light, dark, and sacred uncertainties that co-exist within each human soul. I invite viewers to honor the dance of conscious and unconscious, control and surrender.
My latest painting is a meditation on light, shadow, and the interplay of the known and unknown within our lives. On a large canvas, I have carefully traced the shadows cast by various objects – some manmade, some natural – on both the front and back sides. The front displays the expected, familiar shadows we consciously cast into the world through our words, actions, and creations. The back reveals the shadows we unconsciously project, the aspects of ourselves we may not fully understand or control. By giving these traced shadows physical form through embroidery, I elevate both sides to an equal plane. The intricate stitching weaves through the imprints of light and dark, blurring the lines between what we can master and what remains beyond our grasp. There is beauty in both the distinct outlines we impose and the amorphous, undulating shapes that emerge organically. This philosophy connects to Carl Jung’s theories about the unconscious mind and its powerful influence over our conscious selves. The shadows on the back of the canvas represent our hidden complexes, repressed ideas, and untapped potentials – the unseen forces that can guide or derail us. By bringing these shadows into the light through my art, I suggest we should embrace the totality of our psyches. The celebrated poet and philosopher John O’Donohue also spoke of engaging with our multifaceted interior landscapes. In his writing, he urged reverence for “the inviolable dignity of the unknown solitudes” within us. My embroidered shadows echo this sense of wonder and respect for the mysteries pulsing beneath the surface. By interweaving what we can see and understand with what remains elusive, this painting is an ode to the broad spectrums of light, dark, and sacred uncertainties that co-exist within each human soul. I invite viewers to honor the dance of conscious and unconscious, control and surrender.
