Paula Kirsch

Artist Statement

Artist Statement

My work is an exploration of the threshold between the physical and the spiritual, driven by a process of meditative release. Each piece begins as an intuitive search for light within a field of darkness, mirroring the internal journey of finding clarity amidst chaos.

I approach the canvas not with traditional brushes, but with wedges, texture-making tools, and catalysts. These implements allow me to scrape, layer, and manipulate the medium with a raw, tactile energy that a brush cannot replicate. By physically pushing and pulling the paint, I create surfaces that feel weathered yet luminous—embodying the tension between ancient symbolism, such as the Star of David, and modern abstraction.

The recurring motif of a central, radiant 'window' or portal serves as the anchor for my work. It represents a breakthrough—a moment of spiritual or emotional alignment. For me, the act of painting is a rhythmic, grounding practice; the final piece is a record of that movement, offering the viewer a quiet space to contemplate their own transition from shadow into light.