Page 40 - The Enso Circle Exhibition Catalog, Spring 2023
P. 40
About MICHELLE BELTO
the
Artist &
the
Work When I look back at my years of creative work, I am not surprised to learn
that what attracts me most is the space between two elements. Time and
Memory are often themes in my art because I am intrigued with how time
shapes our memories and how memories influence our choices.
To speak to eras of time, I build complex surfaces where remembered
experiences are viewed as scars and remnants, traces of original thought. My
medium of choice is wax for its physical properties of layering and unearthing.
I like that the process of applying and removing paint is reminiscent of the
meditative tradition of Ora et Labora, a Latin phrase used to describe the
contemplative practice of praying while working. When the mind is free, the
unconscious has a voice. It is that voice that I wait for in my work.
Daily Devotions started as a studio practice I adopted in 2022 when I first
began to shift to a more intuitive method of creating. These four small paintings
are representative of a larger body of work, proposed for an exhibition in 2024
as I return to my formative convent years for inspiration.
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