Answered by the Artist
About The Seeing Colors Collection
What is synesthesia?
In my own words, synesthesia is when two sensory experiences collide. For a more in-depth description, here is a handy article.
When did you realize you experience it?
I'd noticed it for years, but didn't realize it wasn't something everyone experiences until one day, shortly after I'd started trauma therapy. I remember casually mentioning during my session how I would 'see' colors for certain people/emotions/experiences. My therapist called it synesthesia and that was the first time had a name for the experience.
Can you see colors for other things as well?
Oh, yes. Often days of the week, months, or certain words will have colors, but, for me, people and emotions are the strongest and most complex.
Can you see my color?
Likely, no. Often people think I can see 'auras' but that isn't what is happening. Typically, if a person has a color for me, I have to have a close relationship with them.
What does your painting process look like?
For this collection I had to ensure I could access and truly feel the emotion before painting it. As someone in trauma recovery, this can sometimes happen more easily than others, so the collection took nearly 9 months to complete.
Once I am able to access the emotion, I close my eyes and feel it as deeply as possible, experiencing any and all sensations and colors that come up. From there, I start painting in a flow state until the session/painting feels complete. i truly created this collection from body and soul.
