Nightmares and Dreamscapes: A Journey to Self Realization
Faculty Mentor Name
Merrill Schleier
Abstract/Artist Statement
My current body of work concerns painted, large-scale self-portraits. These works are my way of communicating to the world my changing self as seen through my dreams. Due to my age and generation, I am caught in a continuous search for self-knowledge. I wish to explain my feelings through portraits, not a "realistic" visage, but a portrait of my unconscious. But how do I communicate something impermanent? If I don't know who I am, how do I paint something that resides within me? In these ten paintings, I try to depict my psyche: my dreams and fantasies coming to life, creating a dialogue with how others see me, who I feel I am, and what lies beneath the exterior. With every painting accomplished, I have more of an understanding of my place in the world. The manner in which I depict myself with each painting communicates different mood. They enable me to understand my own personal emotions through these, introspective, dream-like images. !transform myself into something immaterial and unknown, something intangible and unseen. As the series progresses I begin to break away from the dark, oppressive and claustrophobic "real" world, represented in nightmarish cityscapes and find myself in a peaceful dream, progressing towards a tranquil serenity.
Location
Studio Art Building
Start Date
3-5-2008 1:00 PM
End Date
3-5-2008 5:00 PM
Nightmares and Dreamscapes: A Journey to Self Realization
Studio Art Building
My current body of work concerns painted, large-scale self-portraits. These works are my way of communicating to the world my changing self as seen through my dreams. Due to my age and generation, I am caught in a continuous search for self-knowledge. I wish to explain my feelings through portraits, not a "realistic" visage, but a portrait of my unconscious. But how do I communicate something impermanent? If I don't know who I am, how do I paint something that resides within me? In these ten paintings, I try to depict my psyche: my dreams and fantasies coming to life, creating a dialogue with how others see me, who I feel I am, and what lies beneath the exterior. With every painting accomplished, I have more of an understanding of my place in the world. The manner in which I depict myself with each painting communicates different mood. They enable me to understand my own personal emotions through these, introspective, dream-like images. !transform myself into something immaterial and unknown, something intangible and unseen. As the series progresses I begin to break away from the dark, oppressive and claustrophobic "real" world, represented in nightmarish cityscapes and find myself in a peaceful dream, progressing towards a tranquil serenity.