IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES.

I keep finding myself shocked at the works I am producing (simply at the fact they were produced) when life feels so full (of fun and games and otherwise). Honestly, it feels as if it couldn’t get fuller. One extra thing placed on top could threaten the very delicate balance I have been at times irresponsibly toying with for the past two years. Kidding, but only kind of.

When I approach making a body of work, for exhibitions or releases just like this one, the beginning has no real start point, it’s certainly not thought out, initially at least. Kind of like diving into a pool without testing the temperature first. The months of creating blend into a blur, and on the other side, I couldn’t tell you which way is up, which is down, left or right. Don’t even try to ask me how many works I’ve made, let alone how I made them, I couldn’t tell you.

Maybe it’s taboo to say, ‘I created this body of work with no initial concept’ - I’m sure I’d be fired from art school if I so much as muttered those forbidden words. But in truth, I did. These works happened with not so much as a coherent thought in the process. A subconscious stream of non-verbal dialogue between myself and the material I am using. It’s afterwards I find the message - not verbally, but in energy. These paintings don’t have a relationship with words, they’re a reflection of energy, of consciousness - and I think that’s an important message to note. How can I apply literal meaning with words, to a visual language? I can’t.

I’m not going to tell you how to feel about these works, or what to take away from them. That is up to you. What I can tell you is, when I reflect on them personally, these works seem to dance between a searching for playfulness and a revelation of energy, created from a very full, very real life. Same as the one you have. I hope you, as the viewer can sense that. It’s also my hope that these paintings can do two things: Firstly, evoke something in you. Anything (with luck, it will probably the thing that needs to be evoked) and secondly, represent a multitude of things; heavy things, great things, fun things, hard things, happy things and sad things. I suppose, what they are is art imitating life. Not the lives we see online, not an ‘ideal’, but the gritty, messy and very real life we are blessed to be on this earth for.

I hope you enjoy these works, thank you for being here.

For any questions please email me at hollyterryart@gmail.com, and be sure to read about shipping here.

Love,
Holly x