Celia Paul: Self Portrait
"Painting is the language of loss. The scraping off of layers of paint, again and again, the rebuilding, the losing again. Hoping, then despairing, then hoping. Can you control your feelings of loss by this process of painting, which is fundamentally structured by loss?
In order to make a great painting, you need to destroy paintings..."
-"Self Portrait" by Celia Paul
I like to search for lists of what others are reading (especially books about artists and painting.) "Self Portrait" by Celia Paul kept appearing on these lists.
This was my first time hearing about Celia Paul so I began by looking up interviews with her on various podcasts as well as Youtube. Her art pulled me in as did her devotion to her work and her quiet manner of speaking about her process. She can only paint what she knows.
Once I had the book in my hands, I had a difficult time putting it down. I devoured it in two nights. Two days later, I am still thinking about her words and her work.
Celia Paul is already at work on a book about Gwen John. When that is published, this time, I will be first in line.
Self Portrait by Celia Paul (an interview with the author is posted here)
There are many other interviews with Celia Paul. I listen to podcasts (through Spotify) and on Youtube by searching by the artist's name.
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