"Being the daughter of a miner made me want to see in the dark. I would like to bring what has been in the dark into the light."
"To thine own self be true"
William Shakespeare
Paula Richards
Fine Artist. Storyteller. Socialist. Earth Activist
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I am inspired by my childhood experiences. By ancient culture. By Wildlife, Plants. Folklore. Growing up in the 70's and 80's in my village allowed me to be free to roam, imagine, and feel safe in a community that cared about each other.
This experience of poverty, community and nature has given me a strong desire to question, inform, educate, heal and to create socially engaged art.
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I take play seriously, and this is my motivation for making work whether it be dressing up, painting, or making a moving image. It feels necessary. It is ritualistic, known, unknown, old, new, good, bad, paradoxical and real. I am answering a call from my soul and play seems to be the portal to access it.
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My process begins with a concept, a subject and then moves into abstraction or surrealism. I choose the materials following impulses that arise and remain open and trusting to what emerges. I have to decide on the medium to begin with as it feels like I need to commit fully to a medium before inspiration comes. My video making feels natural but the urge to paint is strong so for now I am dedicated to uncovering what needs to be expressed and image to be part of ritual.
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" Each time I paint, I am transported to nursery school and the feeling I had the first time I used a paint brush and easel, a surge of lightning energy"
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