Saoirse Campbell-Mcalinden BA (Hons) Fine Art
Painting, I have realised, is not immediate. It is a back-and-forth activity, both not knowing and knowing and often being stuck. As Elkins says, “Writers and composers are much closer to the finished product: their words or notes appear instantly and cleanly on the page – there is no struggle…” Accepting that not every painting I make will be successful or to my liking has been a battle, but I am learning that the painting process is ongoing and that the painting itself has a life of its own – it paves its own way, much like a character in a novel. In existential terms, it has its own free will to create its own being.
Having a brain that doesn't work neurotypically, due to dyspraxia, presents challenges in both my practice and my life in general. The sense of conflict it creates has led me to consider the notion of a moving sense of being through shape and colour. Some of my paintings look divided into two – two forms wrapped round one another, perhaps a portrayal of the split in my persona and my conflicting feelings towards art. In others, many shapes render in a sea of colour, perhaps reflecting my chaotic and frequently overwhelmed brain.
In my practice I like to consider certain elements such as tension, balance, embrace and disarray. My work has been a documentation of moments in time and a way for me to understand my own thought processes. There is an ongoing dialogue between myself and my work - a give and take concept.
