Joan Mullins

Artist Statement

Artist’s Statement: Joan Mullins

My eclectic approach to painting arises from a love of experimentation and a lifelong exposure to the art of diverse cultures. The vast landscapes of my Southern African childhood are among my earliest memories, followed in later years by the vistas of the Northern Hemisphere. I am inspired by art from the prehistoric to the contemporary. I am also influenced by an earlier career of teaching literature and theatre, both of which draw on visual imagery in the dramatization of human experience. My love of the natural world influences my aesthetic choices even further. I have progressively transitioned from representational to abstract painting.
Abstract paintings take me into unchartered territory with surprising results. My mixed media works embrace an improvisational and intuitive method of composition, and remind me of the visual aspects of moving characters around on a stage, or plants in a landscape. I create mixed media abstract collages by repurposing studio cast-offs, and to this mix I add other repurposed items such as dryer sheets, tracing paper and found materials. This process is driven by a desire to contrast textures, colors and forms in visually exciting ways and I embrace the way in which the materials seem to take on a life of their own with unexpected results.
I have worked from my home studio in Connecticut since graduating with a Fine Arts Degree from the University of Connecticut in May 2021. I have exhibited my work in juried shows at the Mystic Museum of Art, the Hygienic Art Gallery in New London, the Providence Art Club, the Von Schlippe Gallery in Branford House at Avery Point, the Jorgensen Gallery and the Dodd Center at UCONN, and at the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery of Westerly, where I am currently an actively participating artist member.