Patricia Coughlin: The Space of Unknowing

The Space of Unknowing
These abstract paintings are propelled by instinct and compulsion, play and experimentation.  I begin with a mark, a color, or a piece of collage - having no idea where it will go.  Curiosity and the urge to rebel against convention and expectation fuel the process. 
In everything I do, as a psychologist, writer, and painter, the process of discovery and the drive to integrate disparate elements into a coherent, yet highly contrasting whole, are evident.  Diving deep, piercing the surface, and exploring what lies beneath propels the work. Images, emotions, and unconscious themes emerge on the canvas in ways I could never have anticipated or planned. I always start intuitively, only becoming intentional later in the process. As Picasso said, “You’ll only know what you’re going to draw when you start drawing it”.  
Finally, at the age of 71, I am no longer anyone’s good girl. With no need to explain what I am doing or why, I am free to explore and watch what emerges. I hope that these works move, touch, and inspire the viewer.  Art can heal and is more essential than ever in these frightening and polarizing times.  
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