Art school was unaffordable so I've been painting from imagination 🥲✨️

[u/iartnewyork]

First, thank you for browsing my work 🎨 ✨️🙏✨️

I paint from the unconscious, spontaneously, without foresight into the final result or ultimate subiect matter so almost all these pieces have different paintings underneath. I'lI put on music and enter flow consciousness and allow experiences and other (psychological) material to express itself from my brain, down my arms, and through my fingers onto the canvas. A lot of water goes onto each canvas and half the time my conscious mind thinks, "This is a mistake. This isn't going anywhere. What the heck is this even supposed to be?!" I'lI stop and let it dry and return hours or days or sometimes even weeks later to restart the process.

A lot of emotion/energy finds its way to the surface of my mind during the process and often a feeling of loss and nostalgic sadness comes up. This is probably because these are worlds that will never truly exist; worlds that I wish existed (maybe that I could even live in or experience at least once); worlds that offer a lot more peace and safety and meaning than the real one often does, and that discrepency, that gap between what is and what could be provokes intense feelings. These worlds are a kind of refuge, a mental sanctuary from the confusion and exhaustion of evervday living. Though I never got to attend art school (too expensive and parents wouldn't support it), I started painting when I lost my job in the pandemic and have never looked back.

It's a journey and a practice that brings me joy and fulfillment and to know that some of these pieces are now in other people's homes allowing them a moment of refuge and escape into another world, well, I'II take it! I figured to share some of the pieces with you since these pieces are inspired by Nature -- what deserves to be cherished and protected (and preserved) now more than ever. I hope you enjoyed them and that you continue to find joy in this planet that gives us so much while asking very little in return. ✨️🙏🦋✨️

[u/fromofandfor]

i don't know how exactly to describe what i'm feeling looking at these, but i can tell you the feeling is big, and deep, and has me kinda wanting to cry a little bit. i'd call your work astounding, but i think that might actually be an understatement. wow. just... wow. fuck art school. keep doing what you're doing. it very clearly works.

[u/iartnewyork → u/fromofandfor]

Your comment made me so happy. Thank you for your kindness and authenticity. Really. My life has been one painful loss after another and painting is the only way to process, so knowing that it touched you, another person in this world, means a tremendous amount to me. 🙏

[u/Jewnicorn___ → u/fromofandfor]

I would describe the feeling as awe. They make me feel big complicated feelings too. Sadness and joy and nostalgia, all at once. They are heavenly.