Raquel Lopes

Head Rush

This piece reflects sadness and freedom, with letting go and processing new emotions. There comes so many realizations and the thought alone that this is your life, and you can do whatever you want with it. This painting reflects on the experience of a head rush, getting up suddenly and feeling a lot at once, a little disoriented, maybe ready to keep pushing forward, and ultimately trying to find your balance. Head Rush started off with a large amount of gesso and acrylic paint. I had been experimenting with gesso as a textural element in painting and wanted to let loose with this painting. I allowed myself to be really free with this piece, at the same time I was also experiencing some intrusive thoughts. I decided to sand down the piece once it was dry to reveal some of the marbling of the thick gesso and paint layers, to unearth some of the complexity. Big gestures can oftentimes obscure the underlying emotions.Additionally I choose this colour palette because I wanted something about it to be soothing, there was still freedom in the action, that itself can be comforting, taking great action.