Enhancers — Disruptors

I’ve been all over the place in my head trying to conceptualize this next series. I’m trying to be clear, confident, and not overthink it. The beauty of my story should continue to evolve. It should feel right for now, later will take care of itself as it always does.

I’m so solid in my last series. How we play figurative and literal games with one another as a means to connect with ourselves and one another. This series I want to dedicate to me. There’s been a lot of ‘me’ as of late. I quit my job. I started painting full time. I’m planning on living alone for a bit after my lease is up. I’ve chosen me over what doesn’t serve me anymore. I’ll try to convey that through this next series without sounding hokey or too broad.

I need something physical. GOR included game items: playing cards, pool sticks, dominoes, darts, etc. What physical thing can I use to represent the self? Something relatable but also uniquely me. What have I made mine? For starters — I’ve gotten a grip on my mind. I’ve worked tirelessly on connecting my mind and my body. So much so that I have only become magnetic to those who deserve to be in my life. There’s something: a magnet. tape. Things tying us together. Iconography that represents a place and moods that match it.

Some other thoughts that come to mind…the beauty we’re able to find in our environment when we are in good company. Music sounds better, food tastes better, views are more serene, foliage is more lush and green and full of life, physical touch feels more comforting or arousing, the sun feels warm and healing, a gust of wind sounds and feels cleansing. I, myself, feel more beautiful, rested, light, present…my central nervous system is relaxed. Many describe good company as being ‘home.’ I’ve found that with the company I surround myself with. An opposing view could be that poor company leaves our environment feeling turbulent and tense. Music sounds agitating: too loud, repetitive, or solelm. Food tastes bitter or stale. A beautiful scenery suddenly feels unwelcoming or too familiar. Physical touch feels invasive and irritating. The sun is blinding, overheating, and harsh. A gust of wind feels disrupting and destabilizing. You feel heightened, unstable, temperamental, and insular. You’re in an objectively beautiful place that suddenly feels hostile and tumultuous.

I could enhance some senses in my pieces to signify this duality of presence. How could I speak to the dichotomy of a warm and “cool“ environment? Through color, texture, body language, maybe even physical representation.

ENVIRONMENT ENHANCERS

— Lush greens, soft/cool clothing, harmonious color schemes, enriching foods (vegetables, etc), beautiful/polished interiors, symmetry, adornment/embellishment, beautiful things in general, the sun, flowers, beautiful furniture and architecture, animals, life

ENVIRONMENT DISRUPTORS

— Colors representing staleness/rotting/mold, bugs, annoyances, loud birds, destabilizing, claustrophobia/overcrowding

ENHANCERS: PHYSICAL FIGURATIVE REPRESENTATION

— comfortable/touchy body language, openness, dancing, hugging, kissing, lounging, awakeness, balance, ease, relaxed

DISRUPTORS: PHYSICAL FIGURATIVE REPRESENTATION

— Trepidation, Smallness, overcrowding, touch feels painful/jarring/invasive, overheating, freezing, rigidity, turning away from someone, tiredness, people being deceptive (masks, makeup, cruel intentions,) destabilized/unbalanced, turbulence

I think I could speak to this for a while. I’m hoping to still pull elements of “Games of Regeneration” into this series as I think that concept tends to be relatable and correlates with environment enhancers. Some names that come to mind for this series:

— ENHANCE / DISRUPT

— ENHANCERS / DISRUPTORS

— DUALITY OF COMPANY

Some thoughts on names for paintings in this series:

— ICONOGRAPHY

— SEASHELL MOTEL

— CHARMING NEGLECT

— BABE, YOU LOOK SO COOL

— BURNT CIRCUS OF IDIOTS

— BRAINIAC

— CLORMIS SIGHTING

— BARTON STEW

— DODECAHEDRON

— SWIM THROUGH MY VEINS

— 20-MINUTE SERENADE

— SOLEMLY WHACK

— SORGASSUM

— THE LONELY POTTER

— THE PETTY PAINTER

— STALE BAGUETTES + BLUEBERRY JAM

— ENCORE

— FLAMINGO CREAMERY

— FRENCHIE’S

— BLUE HEAVEN

— BAD BOY

— HAIRY BALLS

— DO NOTHING AND LOVE IT

— FREE FOR THE TORTURED