So... the point of all this navel gazing...
- Carol Burns
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
At this point you may quite reasonably be thinking:
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Carol.
The shoes.
The giant Den.
The tiny paint-covered menace.
But... so what?"
Fair question.
The strange thing is that recognising all of this hasn't suddenly changed what I make.
It's changed how I understand what I make.
For months I'd been worrying that my work was heading off in lots of random different directions.
Every time a new idea appeared I'd find myself thinking,
"What the hell has this got to do with painting?"
The invented language.
The soundscapes.
The found fragments.
It all felt like I was wandering further and further away from painting.
Then I realised something.
Those ideas weren't taking me away from painting at all.
They were taking me deeper into it.
Not because I've suddenly worked everything out.
Far from it.
But because I no longer feel like I'm trying to hold together a practice that's pulling itself apart.
Instead...
I finally feel like I'm beginning to understand the shape of it. Oh... and if you're interested, here's the outcome of all this navel gazing.
A few weeks ago FLUX invited me to take part in a Q&A ahead of exhibiting with them in September.
Looking back, I think it's the first time I've really had the language to explain not just what I make, but why.
I'm quietly proud of it.
If you'd like to know a bit more about what sits behind my practice, I'd love you to have a read... and I'd love to know what you think.
I'd love for you to join my community on social media! I share new artwork, inspirations, and studio updates regularly. Follow me to stay in the loop.
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