Jane Cunningham

About

I paint with oil and cold wax. I love the tactile nature of the wax and the vibrant colors of oil paint; mixing the two creates a thick, rich medium that reminds me of finger painting as a child. Unlimited layers add depth and a quality of history, interacting layers continually surprise. Painting from “beginners mind” I never know what will show up; it’s both freeing and exciting.

More than anything, my paintings remind me of my dreams. Dreams have served as an invaluable mentor to me. They comfort me, they instruct me, they delight me, and sometimes, they terrify me. I never know what to expect…wild Fellini like imagery, confusing mazes of disjointed story lines, predictive dreams, or horror shows.

A blank canvas offers a similarly wide gamut of possibilities. I never know where a painting is going when I start. Will it reveal itself immediately or will I be painting blind for weeks before it knows what it wants to be? Like entering an abyss, painting is a mystery until a spark of clarity emerges on the canvas.

What intrigues me most about abstract painting is that a painting can be anything and nothing at the same time. Like dreams, I find the process of painting to be mysterious, richly layered, and shape shifting continually. Paintings can affect me emotionally in polar opposite ways at the same time and I have no idea why.

When I get drawn into a painting, I am all in. I wake up thinking about the painting. I carry it throughout the day in my mind’s back room, just like a dream, which is familiar territory for me. I have worked as a psychotherapist for over 30 years and spent decades in Jungian dream analysis.

My specialty as a psychotherapist is working with the unconscious; through dreams, meditation, subtle realms of consciousness and with the body. There is an art to working with the unconscious; it requires the patience to navigate murky territory with a light touch. If you grasp a dream too tightly it vanishes. Dreams are fleeting, just like the creative impulse while painting. I find both enticing and exasperating at times. The not knowing- the mystery-this keeps me hooked. It keeps me painting.

I live in Boulder, Colorado with my husband David and our four-legged Floki. I work as a psychotherapist and spend the rest of my time hiking the hills of Boulder with Floki and friends, enjoying nature, hanging with friends and family and of course, painting. I meditate daily and dance every chance I get.

Many of my paintings are available for your home or office. Please contact me if you are interested or if you have any questions.