We often shuffle along (consciously, or subconsciously), conforming to the constraints of life and enduring its impact. This singular and relentless path of existence inhibits imaginative thoughts and narrows the potential for alternative perception. It leaves us shut down to the creative corners, where obscured thinking lives. Internalised states of thoughtful deliberation, act as a retreat from the familiarity of the everyday.
Affording ourselves the pleasure of time spent in contemplation, where thoughts hover unresolved offer the mind a frame to explore ambiguity. These are the places that provoke rich and generative glimpses of lucid self-understanding, which can at times be confronting.
‘Handle with Care’ is part of a series of paintings that explore contemplative states of mind, specifically the dialogue of self-doubt. In this painting, practices of protection from the harm of self-doubt are considered. Like the packaging of a precious item, the figure is wrapped and nestled into soft pillows of material, insulating any points of fragility. Seeking comfort through the protection of its wrapping, the figure displays poise, acknowledging its inherent vulnerability but pushing into the shadowed corners that demand us to pause.
Kerrie Oliver was born in New South Wales and currently resides in Brisbane. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College of Fine Arts UNSW. Kerrie has exhibited across Australia and internationally in London, Canada and Korea. Her practice has expanded from printmaking to painting and drawing. Kerrie’s most recent body of work explores psychological mind states expressed through motifs that shroud, conceal, augment and protect a figurative subject.
