And Now What was painted with the mindset of loving to paint and wanting more of that positive action in my life. I think this sentiment really shines through in And Now What. The face was inspired by a Nordstrom catalog cover in which the girl in the photo has a sultry look on her face, almost a come-hither-if-you-dare look. I was planning on emulating that sexy essence in my portrait, but as I kept painting, a different emotion began bubbling up from the canvas. My girl turned out bright eyed and exuding excitement asking And Now What as a question, eager to see what the New Year would reveal. This was the first time I’ve been cognizant of the canvas informing me what the painting should be rather than me controlling how the painting turns out. I felt I only needed to show up and start working, and the true painting would disclose itself, which was a revelation to me each time I worked on it. It seemed there was some kind of spiritual connection happening.
Then one day I remembered I had proof that I wasn’t crazy and this was a real phenomenon. I had gone to an exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City at the end of summer 2012 called Art of Another Kind, which included a work by Jackson Pollack entitled Ocean Greyness. The audio guide stated a quote from Pollack, “When you’re painting out of your unconscious, figures are bound to emerge,” which I had recorded in my art journal. That’s exactly how I felt when painting And Now What when my intention of a sultry siren emerged from the canvas as an image raring for a new, exciting journey. The emotion emanating from this portrait appeared of its own accord surprising me with the revelation that my unspoken hopes and dreams for the New Year had manifested themselves through my work without my trying to express them.
VickiWorldArt 