My approach to being creative, particularly painting, has always been a self-soothing act. Without it I would simply be incomplete.
Work in Progress is a reflection of the tumultuous relationship I have had with my mental health and internal dialogue throughout the years.
The name, Work in Progress, alludes to both my current approach to mental health and to my art practice.
With an active incorporation of mental health awareness my work is a recognition of personal progress. My recent pieces all have therapeutic techniques blended into their creation, either they communicate a narrative through figurative images or they are material explorations of movement and abstract thought.
Any attempt to portray mental illness can be difficult as it’s a naturally volatile subject for various reasons including sensitivities and stigmatisation. In my own work I have found the most powerful and meaningful way to represent mental illness has been through the use of macabre imagery.
I hope that the confronting nature of these images can forcefully initiate a constructive dialogue between myself, my work, and viewers.
jessiespadonart@gmail.com