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The years, of which I have spoken to you, when I pursued the inner images, were the most important time of my life. Everything else is to be derived from this.
~ C.G. Jung

Koans are old Chinese Zen stories designed to evoke and usher awakening; offering a way of moving in the dark, trusting the uncertainty at the heart of creativity. Passed down across continents and centuries, their presence in my work is both apparent and mysterious. When I first encountered them, a lifetime of painting suddenly changed; images poured through my mind, summoning my hands and eyes to make them visible. The paintings themselves, like fossil footprints, are the physical traces left behind as I walk with the koans. Myriad layers of acrylic on birch panel are embellished with gold, copper and silver leaf to form the intricately painted final images.

Allison Atwill

allisonkoanzen@gmail.com