There is theory which is what we study in a classroom and then real life where theory often flies out the window. So what happens when an artist loses the use of their dominant right hand?
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| Blue Chaos |
An interesting exercise in my painting classes has been to draw and paint with the non-dominant hand to facilitate a shift in seeing and viewing the world. Theory says that one side of our brain is more intuitive and the other more linear and logical. Fun to do in a two hour session. Due to an accident that broke my right wrist real life has crashed my world of theory and I have had to rethink everything I do. For the past two months I have been trying to function with one arm and the non-dominant one. It has been frustrating to say the least. I just want to pick up a brush and paint the way I have always done. That isn’t happening. When I use only my left hand I find the shift is into chaos and I feel anger that my right hand seems unable to step in.
I love loose abstraction so it isn’t that I am a tight detail painter. I am still sorting it out and will be glad when my right hand is in full use again. An awareness has developed of how important both sides are in creating from a place of centered wholeness. Hopefully some of the chaos will have settled into finished paintings for the Beach Studio Tour April, 29th, 30th and May 1st.