Lynne Stewart

Riverside, California

Bio

I have lived and worked in Riverside, California for the last 28 years.  However, prior to that I resided in Los Angeles, California.  Since 1963 I have made use of, been subjected to and survived, an array of psychiatric services, interventions and assaults.  For a time I was wedded to psychiatry as a source of hope.  I studied fine art and art history while I simultaneously worked intensely with a psychoanalyst.  I gave up verbal language and endeavored to express myself in drawing. The black and white paintings reproduced here are examples of work done at that time. Over the ensuing years I have pursued painting in acrylics, pastels and watercolor, examples of which are also shown here.

 

I have struggled to learn how to express my experiences in a way that is comprehendible.  I do this in poetry and prose as well as through my drawing and painting.  My art has helped me in my journey by increasing my ability to concentrate and focus while being in touch with all aspects of myself, that is, physically, intellectually, heart and soul.   It supports my efforts to structure and prioritize my time and energy.  It gives meaning to my life.  I feel less isolated and alone because studying fine art and art history has connected me to my roots as a human being and has put me in touch with kindred spirits over millennia.  This has encouraged me to make acquaintances and friends who have helped to bring me out of emotional seclusion.

 

I do not strive to realize particular aesthetic goals through my painting, drawing, poetry and prose.  I want my work, most of all, to reflect how I experience the world.  I endeavor to show the connection and relationship between me and the world around me.  Rather than rendering photographic realism I depict what I see as it is filtered through my experience of the moment.  I allow the experience to develop connection and relationship between me, the medium, and the subject matter.

 

If you may be interested in purchasing prints of my art pieces, you may contact me at lstewart37@att.net.