Artist Statement
Regardless of having spent the last several years abroad, there is a consistency to my work whether produced in Africa or in the States. This is the serenity I get from being alone in nature. Immersed in my natural surroundings my attention is drawn to the boundless strength and the relentless determination to be. Although fragile, our environment displays a quiet resolve to thrive defiant of a constant and looming threat. These acts of endurance inspire me to reflect on the inner self which struggles to do the same…to persevere and find tranquility despite of the injuries incurred or the traumas sustained. There is a resilience to the human spirit which facilitates its ability to heal, rebuilt, and recover. It twists, bends, and folds in an attempt to conceal its imperfections, hide its wounds, and carry on. My paintings are perhaps an acknowledgement of these quiet triumphs which are inspiring and commendable in a world of incessant noise, turbulent change, and constant pressure to produce.
When approaching a blank piece of paper or white canvas, I have no preconceived idea. After applying the materials in a rather haphazard way, I count on the paint’s qualities and characteristics to create a dialogue and the process becomes one of problem solving. I rely on intuition and spontaneity to draw out what it is I am starting to see and trying to portray.
-Rebecca Mann