My oil and acrylic paintings are a way of making visible the energy, emotion, vibration and sounds of my physical experience which includes living with Fibromyalgia. Those ‘invisible’ senses are a physical and auditory experience for me which are easiest to express through my visual language. The materials I choose need to feel natural, such as oil sticks and paint, inks and charcoal which ‘flows’. I am constantly seeking the right materials and mostly I just paint with my fingers. If I could chop off the tops of my fingers and use my blood those would be the best marks because I am always trying to find the materials that are natural and don’t stop the flow. I also use clay and contemporary dance/movement and like to experiment with my voice when I am working.
Fibroenergy, 2017
Vibrational Energy (detail) 2016
Over the last 4 years I have been researching my own energy/vibrational signature and how it responds in different situations/experiences either physical or emotional. A vibration which I can hear and have experimented by trying to copy the sound. This is expressed on paper, canvas and in clay.
My interest in ‘energy’ painting began when I was 20 and my mother died. I became obsessed with what I experienced and the questions that arose. I literally saw her leave her body. (Her life-force energy was lime green and left through the top of her head). In that moment I realised life-force energy doesn’t just end when someone transitions. So most of my work over the last 30 years has been an exploration of the contrast between alive and dead, and the life force energy that lives in the dynamic between the two. This deepened 15 years ago when I was introduced to the chakra energy system whilst living in Hong Kong.
‘Sacral Sanctuary’ 2019
Inspired by a life long passion for stained-glass windows, I am currently researching ‘sacred shapes’.
‘Grounded Connected Free’
Body paintings of chakra energy which explore the shapes my body can make on the canvas are part of this preliminary investigation (pictured). I am looking for a shape that represents the sacredness of that life-force energy. The same way a church is man’s idea of the sacred under one roof, I want to create images inspired by chakra colours encased in a ‘sacred shape’ that is from the human form, ‘my sacred shape’. This will form the body or structure through which the life-force energy can ‘shine through’.
Images: ‘Grounded Connected Free’ and ‘Sacral Sanctuary’ 2019 – acrylic, spray paint and charcoal on canvas.
Bio
Christine is an experienced workshop leader for adults, teens and children. She currently offers creative sessions for home education groups, Asperger adults who have graduated in the arts, people with dementia, and people recovering from strokes. She is the owner of Eve’s Garden Studio at Weyhill Fairground through which Christine sells cards, ceramics, prints, and paintings. Christine is highly intuitive, which makes her an ideal guide for 1-1 sessions. She offers personal creative journey’s through Eve’s Garden Studio which are tailored to your personal interests, skill levels and challenges. She also offers group journeys for women and families.
Follow this artist
Instagram: @christinedoddartist
History
Christine was born in York England. She originally trained as a pastry chef and taught cake decorating in her early twenties. After returning to art college as a mature student she left specialising in Ceramics and her 1950’s inspired ceramic cakes were in high demand,stocked by Libertys of London, ’Mabels’ Madison Avenue New York, and galleries throughout the UK. She opened her own gallery/studio in York named after her Mum ‘Dorothy Jane’ in 1995. Originally selling all her own creations then showcasing other artists work also. Christine has lived and worked as an art teacher in Hong Kong also setting up her own studio there running children’s art classes for the under 5’s. In Bahrain she worked as a gallery assistant. When back in the UK worked as an art and science lab technician in Andover schools and continued her own art practice.
