It has been one of those pleasant evenings in my studio after a day of general organisation, some admin, gesso-ing some canvases ready to paint, conducting my weekly Art class with 4 wonderful, bright girls after their day at school, and hearing from a few friends in other places. I was trawling Arts and Letters Daily-ideas, criticism, debate (www.aldaily.com) when I became engrossed in Entelechy...a journal on Mind and Culture ... www.entelechyjournal.com This led to finding a story on the artist Monica d. Church which then took me to her website...and now, after a warm email exchange with Monica for permission I am posting some of her work with a little info quoting directly from her web monicachurch.org Sometimes there is
a curious resonance with an artists work and this was the case with the paintings of Monica. On the same journal website was a brief but comprehensive article by Rupert Sheldrake about Morphic Resonance and Morphic fields ( not that my grasp of this is strong ) from the spring/summer 2005 Entelechy Journal ...it is interesting that ideas can seem to occur in various parts of the world that are not disimilar and yet not otherwise linked. Even with the very small image of a painting of mine I included on the email to Monica she detected something of this familiarity. I like her particular pallette, finding it a particularly interesting series of colour relationships made all the more fascinating by the depth achieved through the layers or veils...which only add to the mystery of the works. each painting requires time to appreciate just what is occuring, what we are seeing. This is something I enjoy in a painting very much.
In 'waving her bubble wand' I am drawn to the curious colour relationships and the energy that is subtly evoked in this composition.
Inside the Hula Hoop, 2003 oil on linen, 27 x 14 in
Lets Go! 2004 mixed media on Rives BFK, 42 x 30 in
The baby Pool, 2004 acrylic, oil, oilstick on canvas, 38 x 68 in
Waving her bubble wand, 2005 acrylic on canvas, 20 x 36 in
Hush Hush II, 2004
Quoting Monica on her paintings she says: I am keenly aware of areas where domestic life intersects with intellectual curiosity. I began researching fertility and birth rituals while i was pregnant. Seeing Pre-Islamic marriage bedquilts feature circular motifs in vibrant reds, pinks, oranges, that represent the sun, moon, the heavens, flowers or pomegranates- all symbols of fertility-resonated deeply with me....in addition to the centuries old fertility and childbirth objects simple domestic objects serve as creative sparks for my paintings; Hula hoops, bubble wands and potty chairs.
monicachurch.org
