Carolyn M. Abrams

"Divine Vessels" Series

My art reflects my search for life's meaning through the exploration of the interrelations between the spiritual, physical and emotional realms. In that search, I've found a myriad of "vessels" that contain and from which emanate life-giving forces. The paintings in this series utilize vessels to metaphorically contextualize the transference of energies that nourish life both physically and spiritually. Although my paintings include recognizable subjects, I'm predominantly interested in the interplay of color and form, not just representation.

Many of the works begin with the transformation of ordinary containers, such as bottles or vases, into abstracted forms that interrelate to create a symbolic vessel. Because I am a vessel, my canvases are the vessels that carry my thoughts and emotions to the viewer. I choose historically symbolic colors such as red for "life blood," yellow for "power," and blue for "truth" to support the message in each painting.

The triptych   "Divine Vessels" is the first painting in the vessels series that expresses my belief in divine spirits that guide, inspire, and protect us. These vessels connect us to another life plane; they deliver messages and give us faith and hope. This particular triptych depicts earthly male and female figures in juxtaposition to the central divine figures as an expression of the connections between these two life planes. My palette consists of colors that support this theme expressing truth(blues); wisdom (violets/purples); power/presence (yellows/golds) and faith/peace (white). 

The subsequent works continue to explore the myriad of possibilities associated with this theme.