Joy panel by Marilyn Hutchinson

Artist Statement

Joy

Clouds, symbolically heaven, can be uplifting and bring us joy through their constant creation and recreation. They are a source of change with endless variety of shapes and scenes sparking the imagination – landscapes, glorious sunsets and sunrise colours, windswept adornments, those with stormy vitality, sometimes soft and sensuous, wispy with only hints of heavenly existence, dark and bright.

For some they are spiritual, a symbol of biblical hope prevails in anticipation of the Messiah returning to earth on the clouds. They tell us about the condition of our atmosphere by their formations. They protect us from UV radiation, their cover keeping warmth in below or cool depending on varying factors. They bring us rain, water to satisfy thirst, conversely they can flood the earth and cause destruction. If they disappear – land can be left parched and dry or even uninhabitable.

They can protect Arctic and Antarctic poles where cloud cover blocks damaging UV rays that melt the ice. In their absence UV rays can melt the ice placing our globe at risk as white snow cover is needed to reflect heat back into the atmosphere to help regulate temperature. Inherent beauty can thus also tell another story for concern given that our ecosystem is interactive, interconnected and all have attendant consequences in response to how we treat our environment.

About the Artist

I am originally from Melbourne Victoria.

My artistic journey began with being self taught drawing, believing if you observe closely how each area connects to another and if all are lined up in relationship to each other, the drawing has to look like reality.

My background as a Primary school teacher lead to my priority in discovery learning initially to develop independent skills. A part of that is when there is readiness I would seek out learning opportunities, courses, where teaching ‘how to draw’ isn’t the main focus as a recipe. I prefer not to draw what you know, observe drawing what you see or interpret connected to feelings in the present moment.

I have resided in Canberra since the the end of 2003 attending courses in printmaking, painting, collage, sculpture and photography at various institutions and attending various artist retreats. I am a member of the Majuran Cafe Poets in Canberra. I am also a member of the Marsden Art Group, Canberra which has been exhibiting together for 10 years.

My art expresses my interest in psychology and how we learn, based around observations in nature to encourage others to take the time to observe their surroundings to foster mindfulness, knowing where one’s thoughts and feelings come from, to make conscious decisions in favour of well-being, feeling empowered and emotionally & psychologically connected within.

This exhibition combines mindfulness & well-being with the connection to global warming to develop awareness.

Marilyn Hutchinson CV