Weekly Theme: Catharsis

This theme was suggested by Marianne Milzoff.

Catharsis is a term that comes from the Greek katharsis meaning "purification" or "cleansing."

The Cambridge Dictionary define "Catharsis" as the process of releasing strong emotions through a particular activity or experience, such as writing or art, in a way that helps you to understand those emotions.

As the pandemic continues we are experiencing a plethora of emotions.  One day we are up, the next day we are down.  Our feelings range from anxiety to peacefulness and from isolation to interconnectedness.  This week we will express our feelings through our art.  Artists have done so since time immemorial.  You can observe the unleashing of emotions in such works as "The Scream" by Edward Munch, "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso and "The Two Fridas" by Frida Kahlo.

In her book "One Drawing a Day," Veronica Lawlor writes about Mood Boards, tools that can bring forth your own emotional message. She explains that it is an exercise in abstraction and finding your own personal language. Shown here are mood boards illustrated by artist Eddie Pena.

 

So ask yourself what kind of message you want to bring to your art. Perhaps it is that of chaos or peaceful solitude (or both). Maybe it is a time of self-reflection and change. Perhaps it will serve as a focus for direction, such as getting back into gear for school or work. Let your line and color reflect all of this. Your art can be representational or abstract, whatever strikes your fancy. Enjoy and remember to post your work on NYC USk Facebook with the label NUS (Not an Urban Sketch).

For information on the paintings mentioned:

Edvard Munch's 'The Scream' 

https://edvardmunch.org/the-scream.jsp

The Two Fridas by Frieda Kahlo 

https://www.fridakahlo.org/the-two-fridas.jsp

Guernica by Pablo Picasso 

https://www.pablopicasso.org/guernica.jsp