Interview with Carolanne MacLean
Carolanne MacLean was born in Toronto in 1949. She is a graduate with honours of the Ontario College of Art in Fine Art and has a B.A. from the University of Toronto.
Carolanne, your artist statement emphasizes the importance of thoughtful introspection in your work. Could you elaborate on how this introspective approach shapes your creative process and influences the final pieces you produce? Specifically, can you share a particular moment or experience when introspection significantly impacted the development of a specific artwork?
The thoughtful quiet calmness of my pieces had to be pointed out to me in a professional review. I see now that I remove clutter as I work, constantly creating an open vast space with small highlights. I think the subconscious is at play.
In your pursuit to create a world where you feel at peace and more in control, how does this personal philosophy manifest n the themes, techniques, and overall aesthetics of your encaustic paintings and sculptures? What philosophical concepts or ideas are you aiming to communicate to your audience through this endeavor, and how do you hope your art will resonate with viewers on a deeper level?
I suggest to the viewer to stop a moment, to soak in the neutral colours and the cement-like texture of the wax. I hope that it may invoke in them an awareness of another deeper reality to life that may bring them comfort in their busy day.
You have mentioned the healing value of color in your art. How do you perceive your artworks as a form of healing, both for yourself during the creation process and for your audience when they engage with your pieces? Can you recount an instance where your art provided comfort or healing to someone, and how did that experience influence your perspective on the role of art in emotional and psychological well-being?
At one of my art shows, a man stood before a deep burgundy painting and said “I need therapy!”. He kept saying that he just wanted to live with ‘that colour’. I realized that the painting had affected him strongly and that I was reaching out through my work, to a profound chord in other people.
You express a fascination with the existence of our response to beauty. How do you define beauty within the context of your own work, and what philosophical questions does this fascination raise for you about the nature of beauty and its impact on human perception? How do you hope your exploration of beauty will challenge or expand your audience’s understanding of it?
I feel myself change as I look at an object of beauty. It has calmed me from childhood, the blue shadows on the snow, and the sparkling raindrops on leaves. The late great Canadian encaustic painter, Tony Scherman, said that you know it’s beauty because there’s pain in it. This is my experience also. Sometimes, you can’t look away. My only explanation is that it is something divine.
In your artist statement, you highlight the surprising beauty of the accidental mark. How do you balance intentionality and spontaneity in your creative process, and what philosophical significance do you find in the unexpected accidents that occur during the creation of your art? Can you provide an example of a work where an accidental mark led to a profound transformation of the piece?
My piece ‘Untitled SS’ began with a layer of yellow which I did not enjoy. In scraping this layer off, I created the dark mark in the upper left corner. I find myself wondering why some marks are compelling and I cannot find the answer. Lots of marks are boring and inconsequential but then you can’t take your eyes off others.
Many of your artworks, such as the series ‘Small faces’ and ‘Solitary figures’, evoke a profound sense of solitude. How do you reconcile the themes of solitude present in your work with your desire to comfort others and create connections through your art? What philosophical reflections on human connection and isolation inform your approach to these themes?
It is only in quiet solitude that I can work. Many of the activities of life in the consumer culture wear me down. I want to say “This is how I feel!” and hope that the viewer thinks “This is how I feel, too!”
Your works, particularly the encaustic paintings and sculptures, often convey a sense of timelessness. How do you perceive the relationship between the temporal nature of human experience and the eternal qualities of art? What philosophical perspectives or ideas guide your exploration of this relationship, and how do you hope to convey this interplay to your audience?
Perhaps the most timeless thing on earth is rock. As our eyes wander over the wax, we see the texture of rock, the way things drip, the subtle traces of something that went before. I hope it is worth saying “I am here and this is what I see!”
The materials you choose, such as wax for your encaustic paintings and bronze for your sculptures, play a crucial role in your work. How do you see the philosophical relationship between the materiality of these mediums and the meanings you aim to convey through your art? How do the physical properties of these materials enhance or influence the conceptual depth of your pieces?
I have chosen to work in wax because of the depth and transparency of colour, much stronger and more resonant than oils. It is in the depth of the colour that I allow feelings to live.
Your body of work includes both figurative elements and abstract forms. How do you navigate the philosophical terrain between representation and abstraction, and what does this interplay reveal about your understanding of human experience and expression? How do you decide when to use a more figurative approach versus an abstract one in your work?
I approach the next project from a free open space, usually in response to something of beauty I have seen. Whether or not it is representational is not planned.
Your pieces, such as the sculpture “Annie” and your botanical watercolours, reflect a deeply contemplative nature. How does the act of crating contemplative art influence your own philosophical outlook on life? In what ways do you hope to extend this sense o contemplation and reflection to your viewers, and what impact do you believe this can have on their engagement with your art?
The beauty of the world is available to us all. It provides comfort and inspiration. I am chasing beauty. My life doesn’t make sense without making art, which I feel is increasingly important in these difficult times. In expressing my own reaction to life I hope to give people a moment’s peace.
