Spirit Mask was my initial exploration into surrendering completely to painful feelings arising through me while painting. I used oil stick to outline the major features as it faded between a strong physical presence and spirit. I was using a photo of my son, exaggerating the strong eyes and mouth, deliberately ghosting his being and allowing a masklike quality to arise. This is one of those paintings where the entire piece was created intuitively. I was guided by feeling; there was no planning or thinking about what to do next.
