Sabrina Rowan-Hamilton’s painting never
stands still, is never predictable. Her work flows, like Siddartha’s
river of life, infused with constantly changing light, colour and
inspiration.
Over years of treading a path towards and away from realism, Sabrina
relates one recurring aspect of her work to an enduring fascination
with architecture, with houses - not just as a structure, but as
the place where people hope to find tranquility. Tranquility is
the goal towards which her work strives.
The one constant remains the representation, whether symbolic or
actual, of a structure – some might say the house or home – tangential
lines that build some sort of configuration, and suggest the place
that we are all searching for, whether consciously or subconsciously,
a place of security, comfort and peace.
The word ‘peace’ appears often in conversation with Sabrina. Peace,
not just for our world, but for our mind, for Nature, a satisfaction
and contentment with the world that we individually experience through
life.
In the journey towards this peace, less is definitely more. Canvasses
may be worked on over a period of months, lining the walls of Sabrina’s
studio they wait patiently for the constant redefining towards the
essence that is the impetus behind all she does. The layers of paint
work towards a moment of harmony, when simplicity thrashes its way
through obscurity to a point where life is liberated and there is
some kind of sense to the chaos.
Within abstraction, there is always present the meeting of opposites:
Line and curve, one colour against another, the structure, the edifice,
reinforces the space around it. Fascinated by the relation of forms,
whether animate or inanimate, Sabrina superimposes these upon the
layers of tone, achieving an element of control.
In conversation, it is the fun of paint that Sabrina emphasizes,
the physical as well as the psychological joy of creativity, of
succeeding to express the soul, the life experience in a way that
resonates with her audience. She wishes to promote conversation,
for her work to enable connections between those that observe the
result of her composition.
Sabrina talks of “translating something into emotion that does not
dictate your reaction to it.” Her audience is ultimately free, left
to each find their personal meaning within the canvas and follow
this to their own place of peace and harmony.
Phillipa Boston
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