“Within us all, are worlds and stories that exist beyond the boundaries we've put in place. The Imagination is as real our flesh and bones, as solid as the Earth we stand on. Many of us have just forgotten the way in. The images I make are an invitation to reengage with those forces, figures and fantastical stories we all have unfolding in our inner worlds.”- Amy Markham
Amy Markham is a visual artist and art educator currently located outside Memphis, TN.
About The Current Work: Rediscovered Through Darkness
These images begin in the depths of my inner reality. Sometimes as dreams, or visions. Sometimes as if they are channeled. I start the process of bringing them out of my imagination into our shared reality by creating an oil pastel. Once I have captured a basic impression, I must be willing to completely let go of this image. I risk losing the naive vision in hopes I find it more fully realized through the creative process.
I cover the pastel in black, submerging that original effort in darkness. Once the image is lost, slowly the rediscovery process begins. Scratching away the shadows I begin to reveal complexity, create texture and find a richness that was not possible without darkness. Each of these pieces is a leap of faith, a surrender. This process connects me to eternal emergence. Knowing what could have destroyed us actually gives us access to wholeness. Confrontation with the dark makes the light more powerful. It welcomes us into dynamic balance.
