Vera Gates

About the Process

My process begins with poetry and music. To be creative, I need to sink into a deep and quiet place and these two forms of art take me there. Once inspired, I set to work, going in whatever direction is the most interesting to me in that moment. There are times I have to more seriously focus on finishing work but that is not in the beginning. I have at least two paintings going at any one time, for both practical and creative reasons. It takes the paint time for the to dry and if I don't give it that resting time, it turns to mud. And I need time to percolate and sift through ideas. I like to move in and out of the work. Pausing to reflect and see what is working, where it wants to go and what it wants to be. The assemblage and sculpture work is newer to me and a good companion to the painting. This work tends to be much more willfull and playful. It challenges a different part of my brain and requires more engineering and structural considerations. It requires a different skill set and the learning of new materials, which is really fun. It's a nice contrast to the more serious nature of my paintings. I find that after sculpting, I paint better and after painting, I am ready to play with materials and sculpt something. It's a symbiotic relationship and quite fun.