I’m thrilled to share that my new body of work entitled “Thresholds” is opening at the Yellow Studio Gallery in Cross River, New York on October 19th and will be on view until November 15th.
Please visit this link to learn about the opening reception and for more information, and keep reading to see my Artist Statement.
“Thresholds”
By Monica Shulman
A liminal space is the uncertain transition between where you've been and where you're going. To be in a liminal space means to be on the precipice of something new but not quite there yet. The word "liminal" comes from the Latin word “limen,” which means threshold. Where being in a liminal space can cause intense stress, over the years I’ve learned to thrive in that transitional “in between” time. As a person who suffers from anxiety, I’m not saying it’s been easy, but I’ve developed a tolerance to the discomfort that usually comes with the unknown and have discovered that both growth and vital lessons are born out of that space.
Before I attended law school in my mid-20s, I spent my adolescent and college years drawing, painting and taking photographs. These practices instilled a strong sense of light and structure. Eventually, I became most interested in the negative space around my intended subject and the scenes I was observing and I organically started to develop an abstract language. Primarily rooted in abstract expressionism, my paintings reflect an evolving universe where communication is less concrete. My visual language evolved with my own memories and sensory experiences making up the narratives I needed to tell through my art.
My stories have had a beginning and an end but the liminal space between those two points were often unpredictable, nuanced, layered and textured, much like my paintings. I’ve had an obsessive diaristic habit since I was a young girl and have kept journals of memories that have become the roots of my vision for this body of work which explores the thresholds where I’ve found myself at various points in my life. These works are in conversation with each other examining these liminal spaces where I build a relationship between my past and present self. The titles I’ve chosen for each painting come from the pages of my journals and other personal memories. In both form and color, this work invites you to become a part of my story and encourages you to meditate on your own personal histories.
Northwest Woods
24x20 Oil on canvas
Light Queen
40x30 Oil on canvas
Your Wild Horses
40x30, Oil on canvas