Melioration

Abstract

        Melioration is one word that can explain what my body of work is about to the viewer without seeing the art. According to the dictionary definition, the word describes an act of “relieving ills,” such as rape and other tragedies, and “changing them for the better.” When I produce my works, I envision a process of melioration each time. My works begin in my mind with an innocent or pure structure, then they are subjected to tragedy, and finally, they find relief and renewal. My works are inspired by several specific artists, including the pioneer women artists Georgia O’Keeffe and Louise Bourgeois, and the psychologically troubled but aesthetic visionary Vincent Van Gogh. These artists deal with similar personal struggles and challenges in their works, and they utilize styles that have inspired my own works. For example, two principal motifs for my thesis are the symbolic forms of the iris and the raven.  The iris has been a subject for many artists, most famously O’Keeffe and Van Gogh.  The raven is a black bird that has appeared in many writings and art works and has a range of meanings, from the purest evil to a portent of hope.  Many people struggle with identity issues, women especially. These aspects include: self-acceptance and acceptance of the inevitable. Melioration, in any case, can only lead to acceptance and contentment, which is what I hope my viewers find when they enter, view, and leave my body of work.