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Affection / floaty oval

Some more wiggles to get lost in, just a different kind. Still working on getting the  balance between the figurative and abstract elements, still aiming for it to be both at the same time.

Anyways, this painting is majorly influenced by Theosophical teachings, particularly those documented in Thought Forms (super old book (1905)). There’s a page that covers what different kinds of affection looks outside of our body, or essentially what we emit when experiencing affection. They drew a kinda of 2 toned pink/red floating oval, so this is my take on it.

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Vibe Check: Pseudoscience/ Neural oscillations/ Frequencies

Vibe check. Have you checked your vibe? Your vibe might be off.

(EEG showing electrical activity in the brain during different states)

I’m putting this under pseudoscience because if I research it too much I will simply take the magic away from this theory. But I still believe there is relevance in theory, given science is always updating and correcting its self.

Neural oscillations are the repetitive or rhymic firing of neurons. This process emits a subtle frequency/ electromagnetic waves outside of the brain. One example of measuring this frequency is using Electroencephalography (EEG).

Everything in life is said to have a vibration/frequency (Albert Einstein). Earth has oscillations too, and runs at certain frequencies, like us. Where we sit on our frequency range is determined by the thoughts and emotions we are feeling at that time (whatever is firing through the neurons). For example, Joy, Love, and Peace run on higher expansive frequencies than Grief, Anger, and Guilt which are lower contracted frequencies. We are also constantly interacting with the frequencies of our surroundings.

So according to science, or at the bare minimum pseudoscience, feeling like the vibe is off with a particular person, place, or thing, feels like a valid reason to me. Equally, you may vibe really well with something, maybe the frequencies complement each other.

This knowledge/theory can also be seen depicted throughout art history and cultures in the form of auras, halos, chakras, energies, etc. Additionally, this theory forms the basis of what I am exploring in my practice: the space between the figurative body and its physical surroundings

My conclusion is, the vibe is off,  is a great basis for decisions, trust that gut.

some references:

The effects of emotional state on fundamental frequency
Louise Probst, Angelika Braun. University of Trier, Germany https://icphs2019.org/icphs2019-fullpapers/pdf/full-paper_599.pdf (The effects of emotional state on fundamental frequency)

Measuring the frequency of emotions—validation of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) in Germany:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5298234/

Understanding Emotions

 

 

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Getting lost in the wiggles

oK, finE It’s a self-portrait. I’m reluctant to ever say the figures in my art are me. Because eek, don’t perceive me, but primarily I don’t want a viewer to assume that it’s about me. I paint about my feelings, mostly in a hope that it connects, reflects, or challenges others feelings or perception of them. Does that make sense? This one is about the covid-versary

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March, again

Semester 2, I’m sorry for not being nice to you. It’s been forever since I posted on here. With the covid-versary approaching, I feel so disconnected from the way I used to make art and learn, I can’t really remember what it’s like to be in college. But we moVE. Promise I’ll post more, planting the seed so future me has to stick to it

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You may begin to feel your mind expand

 

 

 

 

 

 

Currently working through a meditation block for creativity. So far it has focused on two techniques. A body scan, which is a popular mindfulness exercise encouraging you to tune in to your physical body by focusing on different locations. And visualization, this time of my ‘creative spark’ as a glow which starts in the chest and then takes over my body, the room, the street etc etc. The second one is strange, it kind of makes me think of a virus starting to possess someone (sorry last thing we want is more viruses).

These sketches are straight after 1o minutes of meditation. The one on the left is my first (not so interesting) reaction, then I began to develop the drawing more. These drawings were a reaction to a phrase used in the meditation, which was ‘you may begin to feel your mind expand’.I thought it was strange but it caught my interest.

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On Meditation: the commodification of our well being

Just silly little me having some silly little reflections 

I have ‘meditated’ for a couple years on and off. By which I mean I have been using an app that guides you through techniques that ask you to be aware and unjudgmental of your surroundings and emotions, in order to acknowledge and understand them more. Of course, while giving you the serotypical breathing techniques. That part is all very lovely.

But I recently presented to a group, the idea of meditation helping me through my art, and using it as a tool to create. But I became suddenly aware through a crit that by using this app, I was essentially paying for my well being.

I have access to this app for free through a past job (don’t tell um), but I have previously paid for it. And I’ve never really stopped to think that I was commodifying my own mental health and emotions. I wonder if under capitalism is not commodifying anything possible? 

This realization was quite disheartening at the time, it stopped me in my nice floaty fluffy meditation research tracks, but I think it’s important to be aware of the deeper implications of my subject matter. So now I will continue with both lines of research *woo*

 

Quarantine Diary

         

Yes, my ~quartine diary~ a sneak peek into my lockdown thoughts. And also a starting point for this year and being freer (didn’t know that was an actual word but google says so) with my compositions, as they often spend too long cooking in my head before there’s anything visual!