By 'Super Geek' Margie Malloy
Hi everyone! I’m Margie, an artist, physiotherapist and super pain geek!
Laura kindly invited me to write a piece on some of the artwork I have been creating alongside exploring pain through pain geeks.
This month (October) we looked at touch- specifically on the neurophysiological characteristics of discriminative and affective touch, and the role of affective touch in our lives.
For me, a paper like this is a perfect springboard into creation: complex physiology, micro- level to macro-level systems and human experience (all of these are my jam) My process when facing into a paper like this is: read it, freak out about the complexity, panic about learning everything, realise I don’t need to know everything but be open to the experience and then exorcise all these thoughts and feelings onto the paper or canvas. Abstract expressionism seems to fit my style and process. Crucially, these paintings are automatic, unconscious and movement orientated. I don’t think, I just do. Afterwards I can pull out the themes and meanings from the work.
This piece started out as a simple line and pencil sketch of hands (one instrument of touch), some more realistic in nature some more abstracted. Very quickly this was layered with ink and water, and some detail added with acrylic and oil pastel.
These elements represent the many layers to the complexity of the experience of touch, the reciprocal nature of touch and the environment, and the co-existence of chaos and organisation within all levels of our lived world.
I would love to hear your interpretations and thoughts about this piece.
You can follow more of my art adventures on Instagram @margiepiepants or reach out to me here on the Pain Geeks Community.
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