CONTROL

This image is a photo of a painting I did to represent the word 'Control'. Control is obviously a word with a huge number of connotations, both positive, negative, and combinations of the two. 

Although I happened to settle on trying to portray my feelings around Control viz a viz the place of churches and religion in western society, what I want to mention here isn't about that, it is what my production of the painting signifies to me personally, which firstly is that unlike a lot of what I produce I think this work has creative/aesthetic merit and I've seen its impact on people other than me. I'm pleased with it. 

But more than that I feel the need to remind myself that it was only achieved through a partial abandonment of personal creative control over what and how I produce, as well as being present to receive feedback from partner, peers and tutors. 

Had I not let go of some degree of control and allowed myself to play with technique, colour and form, had I continued with what went before, this work wouldn't have happened and in turn I would probably not have felt prompted to explore further.

And that exploration has surprised me, to say the least, as I'm now at the start of reading (in far greater depth than anything I've done previously) about philosophy, not just various philosophies of art, but of life.

I just had to drop a bit of personal control, and have a little more confidence in exercising personal power in combination with a willingness to play.

All work in progress for sure - I'm at the tip of the iceberg, but it has been a load of thought provoking fun so far...

Jem