Fiona Long Art

Study for an Allegory Of Venus and Cupid Transposition

Originally uploaded by fionalongart.

Although I often use observational sketches as preparation for paintings I often prefer to use drawing in other ways. Drawing can be a way to open one’s mind and change a way of thinking and seeing. I use drawing as a translation tool between the conscious and unconscious minds. I keep a dream sketchbook and bring my dreamscapes and themes into freeform abstract paintings. The reactions I’ve had from people seeing my work that is dream inspired have been stronger than purely conscious cerebral pieces. There seems to be a reminiscence and a recollection perhaps from a collective unconscious!

I have found that drawing when awakening from sleep has an interestingly loose, fluidity to it. It also becomes more about drawing from the memory than from observation and thus has a rather child-like feel to it. The brain, before fully alert, resorts to heuristics ingrained from childhood, remembering, “this is how I draw a dog” rather than “I can only see one of that dog’s legs so I’ll only draw one”. This process is teaching me a lot about drawing. I spent my childhood trying to draw more representationally and now I’m battling to lose that tightness. I then learnt to draw like a painter so I’m now battling against all that I have learnt so far in order to learn something new.