Shayne O’Donnell - SICK AF Collective

With time there is often new readings, new meanings to add.

Red lines on mulberry ground

I’ve been thinking about what has enabled me to keep my practice going, and besides adapting other methods of working, such as the left hand, I’ve found reworking or continued working on older pieces has been good.

I am fortunate that I intentionally put away some of my mulberry work and have been able to use them. With time there is often new readings, new meanings to add.

I scaled back my expectations. I embraced the lack of control, the freshness that brought. I had no concerns for outcomes.

The left hand is the right hand

The left hand is the right hand is a series of works I made after losing the use of my dominant right hand, and began painting with my left. I was also limited in my general mobility and maintaining an art practice was proving difficult.

So, I began scaling back in size and concept. I painted what was easily accessible and gave me pleasure to behold, most often the flowers sitting around me.

In painting with my left hand, I scaled back my expectations. I embraced the lack of control, the freshness that brought. I had no concerns for outcomes.

It’s as if I was resting and my hand and eyes took over.