ARTIST STATEMENT: MLO 2,3,5,6
I am a Local Seaside artist who works with paint and ink. My portfolio includes 6 pieces that take into consideration space in relation to mental barriers to create 'mental spaces' in my work. This body of work is a clear depiction of what goes inside my brain so conveying all these thoughts through color, medium choice, and style was extremely important when trying to understand the viewer's standpoint. The works are made of acrylic paint and ink with each medium having different effects on the space that is created. The lack of color serves as a way to convey a thought. A sketched out idea of something with no real foundation or understanding of time. I think a lack of color does well in conveying this. In contrast, what is depicted in the works is the use of perspective in a location to create a real scene that fights against the lack of reality. On the other front, the paintings are using color to show the progression of these sketched thoughts to full emotions. The use of color is important when trying to convey the overwhelming aspects of the painting and the spaces they depict. They show understanding of lighting and emotion through color. This is when we fully are depicting what reality feels like within spaces that feel overwhelming, brooding, or strange. The emotions are fully fleshed out in reality now.
Going through the works we can see the struggle of attempting to find serenity to slowly losing track of my life and finally falling victim to negative mentalities. All my life I have struggled with my mental health and knowing when I am dreaming or awake. There are times when I can't grasp time or reality and I can find the energy to even eat. This work was meant to show that struggle within myself. Each work on its own shows a space within my brain and depicts thoughts and emotions. It's a vicious cycle of becoming mentally stable and falling back into a pattern of instability and these works are various steps in that cycle, various mental spaces in that cycle. We start with a hopeful beginning to find beauty in anything, to slowly fall apart and fall into the cycle.
I am a Local Seaside artist who works with paint and ink. My portfolio includes 6 pieces that take into consideration space in relation to mental barriers to create 'mental spaces' in my work. This body of work is a clear depiction of what goes inside my brain so conveying all these thoughts through color, medium choice, and style was extremely important when trying to understand the viewer's standpoint. The works are made of acrylic paint and ink with each medium having different effects on the space that is created. The lack of color serves as a way to convey a thought. A sketched out idea of something with no real foundation or understanding of time. I think a lack of color does well in conveying this. In contrast, what is depicted in the works is the use of perspective in a location to create a real scene that fights against the lack of reality. On the other front, the paintings are using color to show the progression of these sketched thoughts to full emotions. The use of color is important when trying to convey the overwhelming aspects of the painting and the spaces they depict. They show understanding of lighting and emotion through color. This is when we fully are depicting what reality feels like within spaces that feel overwhelming, brooding, or strange. The emotions are fully fleshed out in reality now.
Going through the works we can see the struggle of attempting to find serenity to slowly losing track of my life and finally falling victim to negative mentalities. All my life I have struggled with my mental health and knowing when I am dreaming or awake. There are times when I can't grasp time or reality and I can find the energy to even eat. This work was meant to show that struggle within myself. Each work on its own shows a space within my brain and depicts thoughts and emotions. It's a vicious cycle of becoming mentally stable and falling back into a pattern of instability and these works are various steps in that cycle, various mental spaces in that cycle. We start with a hopeful beginning to find beauty in anything, to slowly fall apart and fall into the cycle.
Portfolio
Melanie Mena, I Forgot, India ink pens, 2022 4"x6"
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Melanie Mena, My Organized Mess, India ink pens, 2022 9"x12"
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Melanie Mena, Distractions, India ink pens, 2022 6"x8"
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Melanie Mena, Shed, Acrylic paint and string, 2022 11"x14"
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Melanie Mena, Rag Doll, Acrylic paint and string, 2022 25"x40"
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