Virginia A. Erdie

www.virginiaerdie.com
(305) 409-1662
Virginia_Erdie@bellsouth.net

Artist's Statement on July 11, 2009 at 8:33am

I do art partly for my own therapy because my unconscious mind is insisting that I try to capture
that which cannot be interpreted by the brain onto wood or canvas.  Each piece starts out with a
frantic little sketch that is burned into my minds view (the third eye).

For all the art that I do, I cannot say any of it has been done with a preconceived notion.  I do not
trust my brain to make wise decisions - only my mind...the unconscious.  My brain ruins
everything...says the wrong things, makes the wrong decisions, gets the wrong ideas.  My mind
(as all humans) is connected to something greater and more intelligent.

My brain is jealous of my mind.  My brain tries to create the same pure, intelligent scenario on
canvas as my unconscious mind but it cannot.  So I cannot paint portraits or anything else which
our brains interpret in this reality - they bore my mind to tears.

I do have a portfolio of life drawings and reality drawings somewhere in my brother's house in
West Virginia.  The Maryland Institute, College of Art taught realism but mostly creative,
intelligent art.  The The Art Institute of Chicago gave me that raw, direct edge, I think.  Sometimes
there's a little folk in my art from West Virginia.  London taught me subtle humor and a little
sophistication, though I would have done well to live there a little longer.

I think the unconscious mind and the brain are much like oil and water - existing in the same
reality but their physical properties incompatible.

I struggle to understand that which cannot be understood.
V  I  R  G  I  N  I  A    E  R  D  I  E
Art Not Otherwise Specified (NOS)
Art by Virginia Erdie