Carolynda MacDonald’s artwork is a fascinating fusion of natural beauty and artistic expression, where the delicate feathers of birds become the canvas for intricate oil paintings. Her work delves into themes of dreams, freedom, and self-expression, creating a surrealistic tableau that challenges the viewer’s perception of art and nature. MacDonald’s unique approach to incorporating patterns and textures from porcelain, fabrics, and tattoos into her paintings adds a rich layer of cultural and historical references, inviting a deeper exploration of her subjects.
Each piece is a testament to her skill in blending various artistic elements to create a cohesive and thought-provoking visual experience. Her paintings are not only visually stunning but also carry a narrative that resonates with the universal desires for liberation and the pursuit of one’s own voice. MacDonald’s birds, adorned with classic artistry, soar beyond the conventional boundaries of canvas, suggesting that art, much like the dreams and aspirations it often represents, knows no limits.
As mythological creatures, dragons fly in the imagination, inhabiting the dreams of writers, artists, readers and viewers alike. My paintings occupy an analogous realm, operating in a space reminiscent of daydreams or areas of quietude within the mind. I endeavour to bring together both landscape and still life painting in ways not normally encountered. For me, it is exciting to employ a Chagall-like freedom to place anything anywhere and find a way to make sense of it all. In an increasingly busy and confusing world, I feel it is important to find solace for the soul, whether it is in art, music or literature, and these works are my contribution. (…) Birds in particular, and occasionally animals, rouse the scene by actively engaging with the still life, but not in a way one would expect. Rather than pecking at fruit, the birds in Under The Wings of a Dream are shown to be either bringing or removing jewels. Thus, as these birds act in an unusual manner, we are reminded of the painting’s state of reverie. The most recent works are imbued with an other-worldliness as the birds’ plumage takes on the patterns and textures of porcelain, fabric or even tattoos. In these parallel worlds, such as in Theatre of Forbidden Dreams, the creatures for me celebrate a freedom to express themselves beyond the frontier of reality. They speak to me of secret desires by means of a mysterious language, revealing fragments of an inner and subconscious realm. Perhaps too, the birds symbolise the often transient nature of inspiration and the ideas which come to roost in the mind.
Carolynda MacDonald
More info: Website, Artsy, Instagram (h/t: Hi-Fructose).
