The beginning of these pieces started with doodles on small pieces of paper. What emerged were images I resonated with and I have come to see them as the Shadow parts of my personality that I had to hide or deny as a child because they were not acceptable to my parents. In Jungian psychology the Shadow is the unknown (unconscious) part of the personality and for the process of individuation to occur, the Shadow parts must be recognized and integrated back into the Self. These images are the first step in recognizing and accepting my Shadow parts.
I decided to enlarge the figures onto watercolour paper and, using the end of a paintbrush, dot around them with colourful, patterned dots. The dots give the illusion of movement to the figures, but I also see them as protecting these parts of myself that were shamed as a child.
