Zest Exhibition

About

Since retiring from teaching art at Petroc in North Devon Rebecca has embarked  on a series of paintings which feature in the exhibition as well as portraits and life drawings. Themes of The Beast, The Dance, and Isolation,the latest of which is inspired by Eckhart Tolle’s book, “The Power of Now”.

"I hope to share my delight in drawing from life.  The meditation of giving  a subject total attention and attending to the abstract geometry and colour of what I see. Of using expressive colour and marks to share this pleasure in  life drawings, portraits and sketchbooks from my travels

Then there are  the contemplative pieces arising  from experience, the inner response to life.

The series of the Beast. The beast of myth, dreams and childhood imagination. The Beast of the psyche: prowling unpredictable and frightening. Jekyll and Hyde, the Incredible Hulk, Beauty and the Beast and Red Riding Hood, parables warning of the beast within. Red Rage, the Beast of jealousy, passion and abuse. Fury, the Beast of  cruelty, murder, terrorism and destruction.

Everyone has dealings with the Beast.

The series of the Dance, expressing the release of the spirit in the present moment, inspired by the rhythms of the music. Freedom from identity, from inhibition, self-consciousness and false expectations. To be lost in the music with dancers at the edge of time.

Finally a series on the isolating  effect of egocentric and negative thought,  triggered by Eckhart Tolle’s inspirational book, “‘The Power of Now’. Here is the polar opposite of the dancers. The sense of isolation and separation which leads to depression, loneliness, fear and  the insanity of the human race : terrorism, wars, cruelty and destruction.
Enjoy….. and reflect!"

Rebecca Cohen 2016