The winter solstice is a part of the wider subject of astronomy, which to many equates to cosmology, or, in other words, how our universe was constructed and continues to operate. In this regard, from astrologers to fans of the occult, many people, such as Sally here, see the winter solstice as something spiritual. In fact, Sally wrote to me the following: ‘I do have a very spiritual nature and I am fascinated with alternative religions, the occult and mythology, so the winter solstice edition would be great timing to feature my work. I really love the wintertime and several of my pieces feature wintery landscapes as a background, so I feel that my work does have a spiritual nature at heart. I like to include symbolism for example, such as moths and butterflies, which sometimes represent the soul’. In this regard, not only are Sally’s acrylic works incredibly well designed, particularly when you observe her use of symmetry and colour, but, as we will uncover, they are also imbued with fantasy, fairytales and Pre-Raphaelite infused mythology.
In the last issue, I mentioned that I tend to ask artists what first drove them to express themselves through art. As I have come to learn, most of the time it stems from a desire to convey some form of emotion; tell a story; portray an event; or to escape into some other worldly realm. Yet Sally here explains that she looks to utilise art as a tool by which to comprehend life. ‘I’ve always been creative, even as a child I was always drawing and painting and creating things. I suppose I’ve always used art to make sense of the world around me as well as what goes on inside my head’ she tells me.
‘It is hard to explain exactly why I feel the need to paint’ Sally adds, ‘but it is something that I don’t see changing at all. If I have to do something which requires me to take time away from painting, I always end up really itching to get back to it. I think my need to be creative has increased as I have grown up too. Now painting is a sort of therapy to me, it helps me sort out emotional stuff… I find it a really positive way to channel my energy.’
A keen observer could easily write a book on all the ways in which artists look to utilise art, be it as a form of expression, therapy, storytelling or worldly comprehension (sounds like a project I would like to take up someday). Yet what seems impossible to explain is art’s magnetism that Sally and dozens of others throughout these issues have described. Many artists for instance, like Sally here, imply that the drive to create is a result of a seemingly inherent urge. It is a need that no artist has yet been able to explain to me. Though, as is frequently the case when it comes to understanding art, the answer here maybe found within the realm of Psychology.
