Listening to Your Truth

I’ve re-discovered an old mentor! Whilst looking at an art book this week, I saw a painting that resonated with me. It was by Michael Porter, an artist I admired 25 years ago whilst at college.

Like myself, Michael has a keen interest in strata - ‘strata’ refers to stacked up layers of rocks, composed of individual fragments of minerals or other rocks. It’s as though I am right back there at college, yet my interests haven’t changed over the years. My armoury of techniques however, has matured, and I am now excited to apply these new techniques to my “Cove Series” of paintings.

Stratification

It’s interesting how my process depends on layering to create depths and textures, and therefore, correlates with the definition of ‘stratification’, meaning ‘layering of rocks or sediment’.

I love how each area of a painting becomes it’s own painting, with unique compositions of textures and colours that form together. The rugged rock formations and forms of Rinsey, a local cove in Cornwall near where I live, captures my imagination. Whilst absorbing and interpreting the view before me of fascinating rock formations and light I really connect to this spiritual place. Using drawings, photography, texture studies and videos, I really get to know the cove before I take all of that information back to my studio.

I then amalgamate this information, deconstruct it and play towards a concept or a final piece of work.

“I’ve learnt how to listen to the voice that’s telling me my truth.”

— Rachel Jeffery

My Truth

Life is full of subtle messages and I have learnt to recognise and follow these ‘guides’. I have learnt how to listen to this voice that is telling me my truth. This was even more pertinent this week as I needed a way to deal with an area of a painting that I was really struggling with. I felt that I was led back to Michael Porter right when I needed him!

If you would like to join me as I develop my Cove Series, you can follow my journey on Instagram. I will continue to share share my process, some tips and eventually the final piece of art.