Curios About: Core by Dee McCormick

Core
By Dee McCormick
Mixed media (acrylic and ink), A2

1. This work is about … the meaning of life, for me. Every picture I create says something about who I am. More than a diary and more than a mirror, art shows me the truth. This piece is about the core of me. I am trying to keep my heart safe and protected in a chaotic world that is beyond my conscious control. I want my life to be as colourful and as vibrant as possible but get constrained within the boundaries of reality.

2. I made this work because ... it helped me to focus on what is important. It helped me to ask the question “What is at the core of me?” To know the answer to that question is to know my reason for living. As an artist and trainee art psychotherapist, my work is colourful and attempts to evoke feelings in the observer. I believe in the power of colour to affect mood and I try to create pictures that can uplift and inspire.

3. I hope when people see this work they will … feel something. The colours and shapes within the picture might speak to something in their subconscious and hopefully ignite in them a sense of curiosity. My philosophy on life is that it should be filled with as much meaning and happiness as possible and I believe art is one of the best ways to accomplish that. If I bare my soul on a canvas people who look at it see me.

4. In terms of art history, this work … is unconventional. It speaks to the more primitive aspects of creativity beyond composition. I don’t adhere to traditional methods or styles but rather base my choice of medium and material on how I feel. Mark making is a primal instinct and human beings have always used art to express and to communicate. I subscribe to Carl Jung’s belief that the art we create gives us an insight into our subconscious mind.

5. You can see my work … at Dublin City Council, Civic Offices from 1–9 December, or on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

“Curios About …” is a series featuring works by Dublin artists. Each artist is asked to submit an image of one work and answer a set of questions about it. We’d love it if you’d submit something you’ve made, here.