My career as a visual artist started at the age of 3, when I drew the Virgin Mary on an index card. I have always been interested in mysticism and expressing consciousness and energies in human beings.
My work is haunted at times by unseen hardships. I usually paint women, exploring themes of isolation and human misery using geometric shapes in contrast to the soft lines of the human body.
I am inspired by Paul Klee attempting to paint sound; I am inspired by Marie-Louise von Franz, a Jungian scholar known for her psychological interpretations of fairy tales and of alchemical manuscripts.
Staring at clouds and wood grains, trained my eye to see worlds within worlds. Smudges and spills reveal faces, animals, moods. I reject my eyeglasses, aim bold in brush strokes and squint out the unimportant details. My paintings are impulsive, never planned.
As an environmentalist, I utilize discarded paints (water-based “oops” mistint paint from the hardware stores) to paint over second-hand, thrift store canvases. I use colors sparingly but shockingly; usually only black, white and the “oops” color. I phased through several gallons of pink over the recent years. Pink is the most popular discarded paint color.
Teresa Sharp 