Unleashing the Subconscious: Exploring Automatism and the Ideomotor Effect in Acrylic Paintings
Making art through automatism, I embrace the power of surrendering conscious control, enabling spontaneous gestures and unfiltered expressions to emerge onto the canvas. This method serves as a direct conduit to the subconscious, unlocking hidden thoughts, emotions, and imagery. I become a vessel for the creative forces that lie beneath the surface, tapping into the raw, unexplored aspects of my own mind. The Taoists call it “doing, without doing”.
The ideomotor effect further amplifies this exploration, as subtle movements and impulses of the body translate into organic shapes, textures, and forms. It is through this collaboration between the subconscious and the physical body that the paintings come to life, reflecting the mysterious dance between the mind and the material world. The resulting compositions are abstract narratives, each holding a unique story, waiting to be deciphered by the viewers' own interpretations.
Even my name, “Dolce F. Niente” has a deeper meaning that is reflected in the way this body of work has come to life. Dolce Far Niente is an Italian phrase that roughly translates to “the sweetness in doing nothing” and in “doing nothing”, I am able to dissociate from the work, allowing the paintings to essentially paint themselves. My priority is to hold back my conscious mind from influencing the work, allowing the paint to be guided across a canvas the same way the planchette is moved around an Ouija Board. I load the tool with paint, take a deep breath, and let intuition take the wheel. This moment fills me with anxiety the same way your first ride in a self-driving car might feel, as I relinquish control and trust in a higher power.
It’s been said that every painting begins as 10,000 paintings, but ends as only one. As more and more paint is added, it feels as if there are fewer places to go, until eventually my mind tells me that not one more drop of paint will fit. It’s finished simply because I can no longer risk what is already there.
Ultimately, my art is an invitation—an invitation to delve into the mysteries that lie within, to embrace the enigmatic and the unexplored, and to tap into the creative wellspring that resides within each of us. Through my paintings, I strive to inspire others to embark on their own journey of self-discovery, to connect with the profound creative energy that lies within our subconscious, and to honor the intricate interplay between our conscious selves and the hidden depths of the mind.