"The Natural Myth"
Recent Works by Shannon Richardson

There is only honesty in the true moment of something, after that it is just the illusion of memory. But it is these memories that serve as the catalyst for inspiration. I do not intend to render through these works my own personal experiences, I do not wish to share my secrets, I bury these truths below layers of paint, which creates a narrative between reality and fantasy. When these two perceptions intertwine I am able to separate myself from the memory and allow objective observation and imaginative interplay to connect. The work transcends the boundaries between memory and fantasy with an added element of the fantastic; this infuses the works with a sense of romance and reverie. I am able to take some of the gravity of life and turn it into something tangible and beautiful, but not quite real. They are memories as I wish I could remember them. The truth becomes the fable and what I find is not myself, but more the shadow of self and the remnants of dreams. This is a way to be honest without being accurate. In the most private of settings painting allows me to commemorate the occasion of self-discovery, and to understand, with sensitivity, the severity of being honest with myself.
 

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