 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
ABOUT
MY WORK
Clare (Amitajyoti) is a painter trained to MA level. She has studied
and taught at the Prince of Wales’s Drawing School and is currently
working as an artist and tutor in London.
She is a fully ordained Buddhist and practices within the context of
the Western Buddhist Order
Painting, for me, is a practice of unification
or integration and the mandala is a symbol of this unity. Urgyen Sangharakshita
reflects something of this process in his talk on ‘Art and the
Spiritual life’:
“When an artist creates, he objectifies and when he objectifies, he can assimilate” *
The arts, and images in particular, awaken the symbolic world in me, that is, a sense of significance where the sacred meets the profane. This, in turn, allows the meaning and significance of (my) life to be lived. The desire to paint stems from a desire to come into relationship with, to express and reveal this meaning and value for my own benefit and for the benefit of others. Art communicates and the work finds a greater value and meaning when it is seen by others. The knowledge that this communication will take place, although not essential to the creation of the work, gives the whole process considerably more meaning for me.
Process
It can be difficult as a painter to surrender into a more 'direct openness
of mind and perception' and to let go of over-identifying with thoughts
and the rational mind. Painting demands this and learning to ‘see’
artwork requires this. I am not talking here about some regression to
a childlike state of non self-reflexive awareness, but to a state of
a more whole and complete perception/awareness – an awareness
that includes more of our experience (body sensations, emotion, intuition,
imagination, cognitive processes of our intellect …). This can
be characterised by an expansion of our heart/mind and it is from this
basis that a dynamic relationship can develop between oneself and the
work (as an artist or a viewer) and at which point the separation between
artist and viewer and work become lessened. As Stephen Nachmanovitch
has said '‘The noun of self becomes a verb'
And he goes onto to say . 'This flashpoint
of creation in the present moment is where work and play merge’.
So, the notion of our self becomes less fixed and one enters as T. S
Eliot would say 'the dance', '...for there is
only the dance'. (T. S Eliot 'Four Quartets')
Drawing
Drawing has been an essential component to my painting practice
since completing my studies at the Prince of Wales’s drawing School
in 2003. During this period of study I was introduced to the method
of academic study of the Masters. Through this practice it is possible
to gain a very direct and deep understanding of the language of a specific
artist’s visual language. The relationship between natural and
imagined forms, colours and visual perspectives in my recent work arises
as a consequence of looking at both Western and Eastern art. I’ve
been particularly inspired by the paintings of Hildegard of Bingen,
Titian, Poussin, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso as well as the collection
of Indian Miniature paintings at the V&A Gallery. I have since also
travelled to Delhi where the National Museum houses a wonderful collection
of Indian miniature paintings.
 |
Content
I enjoy works that stand within the imagined/mythic dimension
as well as our ‘material world’, whilst reflecting the value
of both. I am influenced by the paintings of Cecil Collins whose work
seems to be deeply embedded in nature, relationship and the spiritual
dimension. Chagall, Matisse and Indian miniature painting as well as
the rich symbolism of the Indian and Tibetan Buddhist tradition have
a great influence on me.
I am becoming increasingly influenced by the need to respect and honour
the cycles of life and death in nature and in ourselves. With this comes
a certain kind of care and cherishing. The traces of our native animals
and trees that hold some kind of positive presence are seeming more
and more evident to me within the urban environment of London that I
live in. It is these things that I currently want to paint. In this
way through painting I am honouring and valuing the sacred and profane.
I am in the process of making a new body of work with these ideas in
mind. Things are under way and I shall be updating the work to the site
when ready.
Paintings, meditation, philosophy, poetry, sketchbook studies from imagination and the world around me, the media and literature all inform the creation of the images.
“The artist has a vague sense, an indeterminate
experience of something and this is his starting point. He clarifies
this, intensifies this in the process of actual creation of the work
of art. And we may say that the original experience of the artist; the
creative experience, is like a sort of seed – a seed which is
pulsing with life but the nature of which is fully revealed only when
…..the work of art itself stands complete..”
Urgyen Sangharakshita
From 'Art and the Spiritual Life' section 'The Creative Experience'
A recording of the lecture can be found here
