The emotional work of artist Anna Ward will feature at the upcoming Minimalism: Less is More exhibition at Art Lovers Australia Gallery, Southport, kicking off on 17 September.
Anna Ward is an artist and an art therapist. Art as therapy and emotional expression are fundamentally linked to her creative process and are ever-present in her art. Her paintings are a conversation between mind, body and canvas.
“My art is a place where I allow myself to feel. No matter what the subject matter, it is always a representation of the internal feelings I had that day. A lot of my artwork is about that cathartic process. It works amazingly to bypass the inner critic.”
Anna’s visual language is very rich and diverse. Her work varies from minimalist to full of colour and boldness.
“Some days are black and white for me, and then again, sometimes life is very busy, and days are full. My days are always reflected in my art.”
Anna talks about art as her healing place where she can freely express herself. And as art and therapy have always gone hand-in-hand for her, when thinking about a career, guiding others in this space was an obvious choice.
“I work with both mental health and disabilities. A lot of the work I do is to do with trauma,” Anna said.
“There is a thread where a lot of [clients] don’t have their own voice to express how they are feeling within themselves. I wish to hold that space for living, breathing, healing and creating.”
“When I start a painting, I need to acknowledge how I am feeling. I look for the colours that I respond to,” she said.
“The marks and gestures all come from the cathartic release. Sometimes I get watery marks, sometimes solid colours with lots of layers. At times I even use power tools to scratch the surface and then sand it back.”
Her paintings consist of multiple fluid layers. The layers are a structural component of the composition but also represent the layers of our experiences in life and the layers of ourselves. “Through the layers, we enjoy the spectrum of ourselves.”
A journey of a painting for Anna takes about two months, depending on her creative process, inspiration and timing. If she is unsure of the next step or does not have a strong feeling about the painting, she needs to pause and “give the painting space”. For her, the painting is a dialogue, and she needs to let it happen.
Anna sees the role of art in our society as simultaneously simple and complex. Art is a vehicle without words. Emotional turmoil, trauma, and words don’t often work together, while colours and shapes work through our deep issues and thoughts. A spontaneous response can effortlessly take a shape or manifest itself in a certain colour. “A lot of people do not feel enough, and art allows us that freedom. Whatever capacity that shows up in.”
“I want people to have fun and experience a sense of calm through art. I want their eyes to go on a journey and feel free to be themselves, to be free. Freedom of expression and emotional release is a gift of art.”
Anna is a featured artist in the Minimalism: Less is More exhibition at Art Lovers Australia Gallery, Southport from 17 September.
