The Maze, She Breathes: An Unintentional Inkblot

 Several of my paintings seem to interest Psychiatrists.  

But it is my painting titled “The Maze, She Breathes” that gets the most attention from mental health professionals. I have sold several prints of this image to those in the profession, and four different therapists thus far have told me that their copy was purchased for the office. This interests me and makes me consider the potential and purpose of art.

A girl on an inner tube floats in the lower left corner of the frame. Her journey (conceivably through the maze) looks rather bleak. She has few potential paths. There are larger-than-life figures floating in the dark and quiet sea. They look like her. They watch the maze. They ARE the maze. There is a goal but there are obstacles. Red dragons threaten her quest. 

Most of the time I know what my own images represent. Sometimes I draw complicated stories, and other times I render simple concepts. But this one is somewhat open-ended, leaving more to discuss. Perhaps that is its appeal.
 

One buyer in particular explained that she uses this painting in her psychiatry practice to start conversations. She added that some paintings tell you something and others (like this one) seem only to ask. In this case, there is room for the viewer to complete the circle of meaning. The engagement is a collaboration between the painter and the viewer. And the observer's interpretation can be telling. 

As the work’s creator, I can’t help but think that a psychiatrist’s interest also reveals something about me. I half-joked that perhaps I could trade this buyer some more art in exchange for her services. She smiled, but didn't exactly laugh -- making me wonder what she might know that I don’t.

What is it that you see?
Have you ever looked at a piece of art and seen something new in yourself?

 

Image © Jaime Zollars 2016