Nic Kirkman
I'm Yorkshire lass and recent newcomer to the Mornington Peninsula. Officially, I started my professional art career at the beginning of 2014. However, I've has always been good at art, focusing on portraiture (realistic and abstracted). When I lived in Sheffield, studying Architecture as part of a midlife crisis, I coincidentally became an Urban Sketcher. I've carried this on as - not only does it help hone observational skills - it's also really effective mindfulness practice... and I get to meet some lovely people too. I work in a range of media: watercolours, acrylics, pastels, pen and pencils (graphite and watercolour).
My more abstract work explores representation of tricky/nuanced emotions through use of colour and exaggeration of body language, particularly around hands and faces. I love how expressive we are even/especially when we're desperately trying to suppress/control our emotions. So, my current work is about really looking at - in order to come to some level of acceptance with - the emotions we wish we could banish but cannot. I'm still in the process of realising that there is a honest dignity to our "negative" emotions. Getting better at sitting with them seems central to improving mental health. It's not much fun though! However, painting it is - so - that's what I'm doing. Art *as* therapy - thank you Alain de Botton!