Sleep... a studio show
I worked on the sleep series for about a year before showing people images of what I was up to. I didn't want to hear other people's thoughts and just nurtured the work as it developed through my connection with the acrobats and dancers who were my initial models. Sona Babajanyan and I held a studio show in September 2016 showcasing work that was developed over the previous few years.
The flyer for Sona and my first show together, Sleep, a studio show. I love the way our tones and feelings are similar in our work, but we approach it from entirely different perspectives!
The studio on 18th May, 2016. The Sleep Series grew out of my work as a massage therapist for acrobats and dancers. I was fascinated by the contrast of these highly active physical performers in repose.
About a week later, different works taking over the easels. Some quite abstract, others more realistically based. Almost all of them are influenced by the celestial bodies that were directly above the sleeper when they were born. Not their astrology, the astronomical events, constellations, and patterns. Plus their individual relationship to sleep.
17th June Courtney Dreaming Through the Orion Nebula is coming into focus. Tossing and turning as we do in sleep. I sometimes don't know which way up they will finally settle in to until the very end. I have had to sign an occasional painting twice because the original signature ends up being upside down!
Rachel and Asher. Asher is the one that started the whole series. I used to earn some income as a deep tissue masseur for physical performers, Asher sent me a message saying that she’d ‘…love to see what she looks like through the eyes of my paintbrush.’ She turned up after a day of working as a ‘living statue’ and as she was tired I suggested that she just have a snooze, I’ve always been fascinated with sleep so it was mutually beneficial. The contrast between her energetic, active life and the restful dreamlife of sleep opened up an ocean of thought. The shift in consciousness still enthrals me and I never hesitate to delve into those waters when the opportunity arises.
Racheal Gibson rolling in her sleep
Acrylic on Canvas, 1200 x 1500mm, 2016
This is the first of the paintings where I just kept working as the sleeper rolled about. The multiple images give a sense of time, movement and relationship to self
Art is all about communication
People loving Sona's studio!
Mineur, Master of Circus
Acrylic on Canvas, 970 x 970mm,
2016
Nicky Flaubert seeking her corner
Acrylic on Canvas, 120 x 150 cm,
2016
Nicky Faubert and Sona at our show! Nicky was amazing on the night playing the Dark Acrobat Waitress and just spreading her beautiful energy around.
I love Sona Babajanyan's worktable set up for the Sleep show!
Shannon Berry-Bam in the Rosette Nebula
Acrylic on Canvas, 970 x 970mm,
2016
In our dreams our consciousness has the elasticity of nebulae
Form and Formlessness
Acrylic on Canvas, 1220 x 1530mm,
2016
In this painting of Todd Kilby, an acrobat working with Circa Contemporary Circus, I am exploring the formlessness of sleep. How we dissipate into the ethereal as we drift off into dreams. The fact that Todd spent some time in a Buddhist monastery gave me the key into his formless self as a concept.
