An exhibition opening

Exhibition Statement

​For Alex, art is an extension of her selfness. A way to explore the influence of environment, health, lifestyle, memories and community through the act of automatic mark-making practices. The process of automation provides a pathway for Alex to dive into her subconscious and play with the impacts of these everyday factors to unlock an intuitive environment while holding space selfishly and unashamedly. 

Collecting Dust refers simply to that, works that have sat piled high, or in pieces with no intention other than the process of creation. The works have been collecting dust. To honor the series Alex believed it was only right to give the pieces the space of an exhibition, to share walls with each other and to share with the community.

Alex’s fascination with automatic mark-making parallels her diagnosis of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, a form of Dysautonomia. Dysautonomia is a disorder of autonomic nervous system  function. The autonomic nervous system is in charge of involuntary functions—things that happen without thinking—like breathing. Dysautonomia usually involves failure of the sympathetic and parasympathetic parts of the autonomic nervous system. Through automatic mark-making Alex seeks to find the peace and therapeutic opportunities of truly finding a space of restful contentment. Her paintings are often without a plan, purely regulated by happenstance and convenience. With unconscious repetition of elements including pattern, representational imagery, colour and movement.  Couple with a safety in process and colour palettes often chosen at convenience or by place as she lets her hands tell the story. 

Through this process of play and disconnection the outcome of the work will often become apparent in its own time, which may be hours, days or years. A resolved piece is never planned and often determined by a sense of restful completion. Each piece of Collecting Dust marks a moment, and a sense of connection to the artist.