Artist in Residence – Anna Nightingale

Sometimes you have to die inside in order to rise from your own ashes, believe in yourself and love yourself to become a new person. Nothing remains as it was. I engage in painting based on what I know and I am interested in… some of the healthiest areas to realise are from your own experience. As time goes by you start to relate to things you did in the past and you have more ease, more distance from them so you can work with renewed energy emotion and movement. Sometimes a sketch you have done before can become, with work, a more grounded attempt. Bolder and explicit. The process is one of distillation to the point where it is just spirit. Just itself. Maybe it is the ultimate freedom to do whatever you want and not to be held down by a subject. Painting is beautiful. You have the knowledge in your head. You have the feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You are on your own and you are the one who will decide where to go.