Cape Town, South Africa

Elaine Millin - Art and Soul
Artist and facilitator/trainer of Bridging Polarities through Art

A turning point in my life was when I participated in the Bridging Polarities through Art training in 2002/2003. This training was brought to South Africa by 4 Dutch women - 3 art and a music therapist. It was a healing journey after divorce and illness and paved the way for a new career, opening opportunities to work with people in a creative and inspiring way.

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Painting

Oils, Acrylic, watercolour and chalk pastel

Painting begins from an inner place out of feelings, qualities or memories of fleeting moments in nature; the flash of light on a bird's wing or an encounter in nature that stays with me. The artwork evolves through the exploration of colour - mixing, blending and building layers; hints of texture are added by scraping and mark making into the wet paint to reveal colours below. I have no expectations of the end in my mind. As forms and images appear I decide what is meaningful to keep and what to let go. It is an intuitive process like a journey to a new place I have never been before.

Images from nature often arise in my work - having lived in Cape Town for many years the beauty and vibrancy of this floral kingdom, the birds and the mountains are deeply embedded within me. The peace, joy and healing that I experience in nature often arises on the canvas. The mystery and magic of this way of working motivates my work.

Drawings

Pencil

My “intuitive” pencil drawings begin with eyes closed tuning into an inner space or the energies around me. I begin by making marks with my left hand (non-dominant) I then open my eyes and work with my right hand – working with the light and dark to allow images to appear. Beings from other realms often appear in these pictures.

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