Artist Statement
These paintings are a visual timeline of the experimentation I have conducted with my work in the past few years. This timeline is not based on when they were created, but on how I chose to complete the work. Through this experimentation came a lot of discoveries about making work, and using what resources were available to me.
These paintings served as a journey of self-reflection, in the way many found elements and mixed media pieces hold monumental value in their context. I do not like to go into detail about the objects you may (or may not) find right away in the pieces. What I hope this does is add a sense of mystery that takes the viewer on their own journey within the mind as they discover various elements. I like to incorporate different mediums into my paintings to add visual interest and context value. I enjoy being able to bring different elements together, (often chaotically) to create something potentially beautiful.
Something I do want the viewer to know is that I often refer to my paintings as being about personal spirituality. When I say this, I am not referring to the moral values inspired by the ideology we often find in religion. Instead, my work is driven by thoughts on self-discovery and what can drive our morals based on life experience. What also drives my work currently is the idea that letting others find meaning in the work and listening to that can tell you a lot about people. Contrastingly, my work has told me a lot about myself.
Ariann Rousu
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