Pauline, SMart Network community group
2025
Yarn on canvas
I thought about how Vincent van Gogh felt when looking out at the night sky from the hospital at Arles. I feel a connection to Van Gogh as an artist and an individual who has spent time in a mental health institution. His paintings feature distinctive brushstrokes similar to stitches, and I thought it would be interesting to experiment with wool and canvas to emulate these, creating a work in sympathy with The Starry Night (1889).
I found the repetitive act of passing a needle and thread in and out of the canvas calming and a surprisingly soothing way to relieve my anxiety. I believe Van Gogh went through a similar process when he created his paintings and it was fulfilling to find these connections between myself and his work.