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ALEXANDRA PETERSEN |
IN THE ARTIST'S WORDS
I describe my art as magic realism.
Art is therapy, and a safe haven for when the world seems overwhelming, scary, or just bewildering (which it can be). The drawings require focus and control, while the encaustic process is such that it demands a certain amount of relinquishment of control, so no matter where I am on the pendulum of mood, it serves as an anchor and ground. In addition, I think there is a tendency for someone with a mental illness to overanalyze everything, which is exhausting and counterproductive. When I am in the middle of a painting, all the focus is given over to the process, leaving no room for hyper-introspection. It’s extremely meditative and centering, and has kept me from completely losing control more times than I care to count.
My work is my refuge from stormy waters; a place of calm when my mind feels like one giant crayon scribble. It’s a way to express myself when I feel too far away for words.
I see my paintings as unfinished stories; as though one were to open a book somewhere in the middle and read a paragraph.
To me, these stories change dependent on my current mental filter (i.e., a piece which looks sad and melancholy yesterday may look calm and peaceful today). My hope is that these things are shared with the viewer, who, when seen through their particular lens, can then attach their own story to the piece.
ABOUT ALEXANDRA
Alexandra’s work combines elements of dream, memory, and childhood, as well as a love for nature. Each painting is a moment of a story, the details of which are left to the viewer to interpret through the lens of one’s individual personal experiences. Alexandra finds the creative process to be both grounding and therapeutic.
Although there are many ways to create with encaustic, Alexandra’s work consists of original pen & ink/charcoal drawings, fused to an encaustic background and given several layers of the medium in order to give a particularly unique luminosity and depth to her work.
She currently lives and works in SE Portland with her husband, two boys, and two dogs whose main objective are to be underfoot at all times when in the studio, evidently believing this to be an essential component to the creative process.
Artist's Website: www.alexandrapetersen.com
I describe my art as magic realism.
Art is therapy, and a safe haven for when the world seems overwhelming, scary, or just bewildering (which it can be). The drawings require focus and control, while the encaustic process is such that it demands a certain amount of relinquishment of control, so no matter where I am on the pendulum of mood, it serves as an anchor and ground. In addition, I think there is a tendency for someone with a mental illness to overanalyze everything, which is exhausting and counterproductive. When I am in the middle of a painting, all the focus is given over to the process, leaving no room for hyper-introspection. It’s extremely meditative and centering, and has kept me from completely losing control more times than I care to count.
My work is my refuge from stormy waters; a place of calm when my mind feels like one giant crayon scribble. It’s a way to express myself when I feel too far away for words.
I see my paintings as unfinished stories; as though one were to open a book somewhere in the middle and read a paragraph.
To me, these stories change dependent on my current mental filter (i.e., a piece which looks sad and melancholy yesterday may look calm and peaceful today). My hope is that these things are shared with the viewer, who, when seen through their particular lens, can then attach their own story to the piece.
ABOUT ALEXANDRA
Alexandra’s work combines elements of dream, memory, and childhood, as well as a love for nature. Each painting is a moment of a story, the details of which are left to the viewer to interpret through the lens of one’s individual personal experiences. Alexandra finds the creative process to be both grounding and therapeutic.
Although there are many ways to create with encaustic, Alexandra’s work consists of original pen & ink/charcoal drawings, fused to an encaustic background and given several layers of the medium in order to give a particularly unique luminosity and depth to her work.
She currently lives and works in SE Portland with her husband, two boys, and two dogs whose main objective are to be underfoot at all times when in the studio, evidently believing this to be an essential component to the creative process.
Artist's Website: www.alexandrapetersen.com