Sound Mind in a Sound Body

PAINTING, PAINTING, PAINTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve been TOTALLY inspired by my recent art retreat to begin playing around with paint again. I can’t even begin to describe how much fun I’ve had continuing to try out some of the new techniques I learned from the amazing Kari McKnight-Holbrook and Jesse Reno.  I’ve loved adding my illustrations to a completely different medium.  I’ve been like a little kid, super excited to work on new projects!!

I’ve had an idea for a painting in the back of my mind for years (something I’ve wanted to make for my husband), but just never felt like I knew how I was going to translate that to canvas. Well, it’s like something just clicked in my head and I knew I could attack this idea with some of my newly discovered skills. His birthday was last week and I wanted to make this for him, so I went for it….

The creative process behind this painting was such a release! I felt like something deeper in me could see the vision of what I wanted to create, and layer upon layer it revealed itself. I felt free to go with what felt right at the time and I trusted my gut instincts to just go for it. The music I was listening to at the time felt like it was the soundtrack made just for this experience. It is 20” x 20” which is the largest painting I’ve ever attempted, but I wasn’t intimidated by the size of it. It was like the universe came together for me in this painting. I’m super proud of it and it will always mean something special to me because of what I experienced as I created it. Pure JOY.

This idea brewing in the back of my mind for quite some time revolved around the image of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man.  I wanted to incorporate the classic symbolism as it relates to all of the health sciences with my vision of a sound body. It’s titled Mens Sana In Corpore Sano, which is the Latin phrase meaning a sound mind in a sound body. It’s an expression I’ve seen my husband use in his work related to exercise psychology. What a beautiful phrase for such an important message. It started as a collage using a large world map, various decorative papers, and an actual research paper. I found one of my husband’s articles and used it in the piece. (To pay homage to all the time he spends reading the literature in his field).  Then it was built up with layers of acrylic paint, oil pastel and pencil. It is a completely different look for my work, but I love it. I was SO excited to give it to Brandon, like I was sharing the truest part of myself with him.

I think I might have to continue with this painting thing….