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Melinda Blair Paterson

My work quietly explores my inner experience with a deep desire to express this into form in a way that is an offering of beauty and an invitation to the viewer. When I come to paint I often fall into a quiet contemplation and meditative space, and in that, my mind will often simply surrender to the deeper presence of silence, stillness and spaciousness. It is here that I wait for the intention, the vision, or the inference of the ‘next step’ of my art process to arise. Sometimes there is a flurry as new work begins pouring itself forth, and I find myself abandoning my meditation to quickly make sketches and notes before it disappears. The movement to the creating is intuitive. Sometimes it occurs daily, other times weeks may go by. It does not seem to be a movement from the mind, but rather from the body. A somewhat organic process. In this exploration I am inspired by the works of Agnes Martin, Mark Rothko and the humble works used as visual aids in meditation from Rajasthan, India, compiled in the book ‘Tantra Song’ by French poet, Frank André Jamme. Over the last few years I have learned the value of slow, quiet and simple; and how these can inform and enrich my art practice.