Finding Peace {Arielle Austin}
Arielle Austin, Abstract Painter
Words by Sam Lauron Photos by Eric Morales
When Arielle Austin steps up to a blank canvas, before she dips her brush into the paint or even considers what she’s about to create, she begins with a pause and a prayer.
Arielle sees her works as “a meeting with God,” she explains. While art is often used as an outlet for people to express themselves, Arielle feels pulled by something bigger than herself. She believes she was “created by the ultimate Creator,” and as such, she allows herself to be a conduit for ultimate creativity. As a result, her abstract paintings feel intuitive and connected, as if the brush showed up and moved about the canvas on its own to express the emotions for which Arielle didn’t have the words.
The California native has been painting professionally for the last seven years. Her first gallery show was in 2014 in her home state, but her work stems from a much deeper calling to create.
After graduating college and joining the workforce as a graphic designer, Arielle found herself unfulfilled and questioning what she really wanted to do in life. She fell into what she describes as a “dark space” and turned to painting after work as a grounding outlet and a way to find herself. It wasn’t long before painting became a therapeutic exercise through which she felt spiritually connected and began to pursue more seriously.
After moving to Austin in 2015, she expected to put her practice on hold and pursue a more traditional career as she got settled into a new city. However, intrinsic qualities have a way of showing up regardless of what is planned. Arielle explains, “I got here, and within the first week, I was already painting because that’s what I’m supposed to be doing.”
When it comes to abstract painting, there’s always room for introspection and individual interpretation, and Arielle’s contemporary paintings are strong representations of that. Splashes of color whip across the canvas, a balance of intensity and gentleness, depending on the angle or how the viewer may be feeling.
“Part of why I paint abstractly is to share, without words, part of me with others in hopes that they will be brave enough to do the same in their own way,” says Arielle.“I hope my work allows people to truly see themselves and ask their own self-reflective questions.”
Over the years, as Arielle has found her voice and settled into her calling as an artist, it’s clear her work has developed into something that she describes as “less restless and more peaceful.”
[…] When Arielle Austin steps up to a blank canvas, before she dips her brush into the paint or even considers what she’s about to create, she begins with a pause and a prayer. Continue reading here… […]