STAR Anxiety

HEAD

Working through the states and stages of anxiety provided by recovery. Focusing on something productive, placing motivation in production rather than allowing the anxious energy to consume.

HEART

Subconsciously providing the format to literally lean into the sharp edges of pain associated with the STAR trauma recovery programme.

HANDS

Ink sprayed paper cut, snowflake fold style. Plastered drawing with sparkled vinyl. Splattered metallic self care additions. Pointed highlights of plastic diamonds to lean into the sharp edges of pain.

Ordering Chaos

Head

I was mute throughout the first watercolour session, focusing all I had on on expressive colour and texture. The interplay of light, metallic paint, glitter combined as I then made consecutive decisions as appropriate within the staggered timeline.

Heart

The immense discomfort and dis-ease in not being able to use self destructive coping mechanisms drove this work. Ironically only able to be worked on when feeling more personally secure. There was a strong need to produce straight cuts and to order the colours to engage the dopamine hit usually reserved for destructive release.

Hands

Intuition and material interactions led this project. Working with what I was physically and mentally able to. Overall process extended over a mont. Beginning with the watercolour, adding glitter, cutting the work to the correct size and angles before dividing, ordering and finally arranging them in the deco inspired pattern.

Session one

Metallic watercolour paints - wet on dry

Glitter

Gifted glitter that magically matched!

Angles

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.