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Homebody - Exhibition Statement
Homebody is a collection of paintings that document the space, clutter, and daily routines in my home as they appear and occur every day. They are intended to honour the struggle I find between my responsibilities towards my family and home, and my need to paint. Initially I viewed Homebody as a series of self portraits, but found it was impossible to separate out what represented me individually from that of my family. Even physically, while working I was tripping over discarded skates in the entrance, or trying to supervise two boys determined to paint their own pieces along side me. But in the end the skates became a still life, and my son’s painting, “Microwave”, became the inspiration for my packed lunch paintings: honestly drawn and honouring an everyday item. My husband kept showing up as well, with the remains of his gluten free toast and empty coffee pot, the all too massive hoard of Gameboys unearthed in his office, and some random tool he borrowed from my reno stash that never made it back in the drawers in the garage. In retrospect, I’ve realized that omitting their presence from these paintings would not make an accurate depiction of myself, our lives are so mashed together. In trying to record myself and my environment, my perspective has shifted on what I’d categorize as menial, routine, cluttered, and even chaotic. The daily chore of packing school lunches made me dread 7am, so I painted a packed lunch. And one painting turned into nine and became a testament to the lunches the day after a grocery shop, and the not so glamorous options on the days everything suddenly seemed gone. I am enjoying the realization that I only need to reach a few feet in any direction to find inspiration for my work. Instead of giving into the frustration of having an art studio in my home, I am embracing the blurred lines between my work and my home life... and encouraging my husband and kids to leave things out in piles so I can paint them next. |
