A friend recently mentioned that our bodies renew our cells completely every 7 years. Not sure if this relates to one's artistic practice, but here I am with a brand new series. There have been all kinds of developments in my personal and professional life and I can tell you: I am excited! Let me introduce the "Healing Garden" series to you.
I am known for my abstract watercolors on Yupo. I love working in acrylic inks exploring the power of color, form, and textures through movement on the paper. Hundreds of paintings later, I have a body of work to my name. Yet, one wouldn't really be an artist without exploring new ideas, right? A fellow artist has inspired me to play: grab a piece of paper and see what happens. Well, here we go: these colorful imaginary paintings with hundreds of marks took shape with confidence. I would even say, I am a little surprised how powerfully they came into my life.
I am known for my abstract watercolors on Yupo. I love working in acrylic inks exploring the power of color, form, and textures through movement on the paper. Hundreds of paintings later, I have a body of work to my name. Yet, one wouldn't really be an artist without exploring new ideas, right? A fellow artist has inspired me to play: grab a piece of paper and see what happens. Well, here we go: these colorful imaginary paintings with hundreds of marks took shape with confidence. I would even say, I am a little surprised how powerfully they came into my life.
 Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 9x12", $195 |  Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 9x12", $195 |
Introducing flowers and marks into my practice may be coming out of nowhere but there is a story to all of this. I grew up in Prague in a beautiful garden my grandparents tended to. My grandmother, in particular, was a great gardener: her flowers were all over the garden and in vases in every room of the house. My grandmother was a great grandma: I have such vivid memories of her eyes looking at me, asking me to tell her about my day, making tea, sitting down, and truly being there for me. Her arms were always open to all of her grandchildren. She passed away 3 years ago and is dearly missed. But she lives on in my art and Healing Garden is an ode to her green thumb and love for her family.
 |  Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 8x10", $195 |
I am an avid walker (and sometimes a hiker) and snap photos of flowers all over the place. Memories come up so promptly: taking me back to the garden of my childhood but also to feeling safe in the world in gardens and other beautiful places. We all have the need to feel safe and gardens to me are often places of rest and respite. In this blog, I am sharing two examples of how I use a photo as inspiration and turned in into an intricate artwork filed with lines and patterns. Sometimes I reference the overall shape of a flower or just look at the composition of the photo to create a new set up on my paper.
 |  Acrylic on Watercolor Paper, 8x10", $195 |
So, now you know about why flowers and gardens. What about the healing part of the name of this series? Gardens are inspiring to me. They are also restful to me: places to pause, to admire flowers and trees, to soak up the colors and aromas of the blooms. In my personal experience of taking care of my mental health, a sense of safety has been a huge theme and I am using these series to further my understanding of life while feeling safe inside in the world. I hope you find energy in these artworks: one that's exciting but also one, that is, indeed healing.