Robin Urton

I think of my art as a dreaming meditation. It is a world that unfolds before me, unpredictable, and in which wondrous things can happen. I begin with an impulse, a vague idea, or a single image. I leave behind the need to know exactly what I'm doing... The desire to be in full control. At first there is always a little trepidation: What am I doing? What am I trying to say? The only way to silence the mind is to begin painting. The process then takes me wherever I need to go. I stop watching myself. I forget my worries. The mind becomes unhinged. Awareness shifts. I am in a state of FLOW.

I feel that my painting is entirely about states of mind. It unveils the inner workings of my own mind, so the content is often personal... But I feel that it goes beyond the limited concept of self. Through a free-association of images, I attempt to explore the connecting relationship between internal and external forces. References to personal dreams, the natural world, and art history often exist simultaneously. I am attracted to states of mystery. My favorite emotion is the state of awe. Creating art opens me up to a sense of wonder about the world... Therefore, if I have any goal in mind, I would like it to do this for others. I am therefore attracted to images that speak on a symbolic level. I strive to tap into this universal language of the archetypal symbol, yet I also want my paintings to be open to personal interpretation.

Every person will create their own meaning, given their personal experiences and associations. I believe that there is also a level of awareness that speaks to us beyond the personal level, that connects us to the collective consciousness. The only way I feel it is possible for me to address this collective spirit is to begin with the personal. The self is a door to the divine.