Recently I have been exploring the idea of regeneration and healing within my work. As an offshoot I wondered about the healing arts of crystals and their innate regenerative principles. I have worked with and admired crystals since I was young and I wanted to see what could be possible as I played with the idea of crystal making in my artwork. What qualities would it hold, both physically and spiritually? Can it hold healing qualities as these salts, healing intentions and water alchemically interact?
I experimented with two basic salts; Epsom salt, and Alum salt. I tried them out individually, mixed together, with higher and lower concentrations both intentionally and accidentally and discovered interesting results. Wonderfully, I found the most potent results through the accidents.
What I love about accidents is that they almost feel driven by another guiding force to help me open and expand. Like a playful nudge to share what else could be. I enjoy that in one moment you’re terrified at what just happened and then in another you realize it was the best thing that could be. For this reason, I see accidents as an important and necessary role in creating. If I am so tight and rigid in my approach with all my “have to’s” then my work is limited. I find when I allow for an inclusive response of both ‘good’ and bad’ it expands my practice. It is intuitive awareness. Intuitive awareness is inclusive, it allows for the strengths and weaknesses to exist without judgment where my experience of the dualistic world becomes neutral.
Above is an image after an accident of my liquid escaping my tightly bound taped seal. After pouring liquid onto my panel, the salt mixture seeped onto the concrete floor of my garage and left this response. The crystal formation was so clear and the striations were striking. I wondered how these appeared so vividly here on the concrete where it has not been evident on my paper based panels. So my next inspiration was to make my own concrete panel and experiment there.
I am at the beginning stage and the concrete panel is on the heavy side!! but the results are exciting, enlivening and expanding!