Creating art is a process of continual learning. Artists try new mediums, discover new materials or collaborate with other artists in unique ways.
It is all this and more that has Taisha Teal excited for her first solo exhibition, set for Art
@Bentall throughout the month of March 2022.
Taisha says she feels equally nervous and excited. She knows not every artist gets the opportunity to have a show uniquely for their work.
“It’s exciting, but also nerve-wracking because I’ve never done it before,” she says. “And whoever comes to the show, who knows if they know how to do it better than me. I don’t know! So, also for me, I’m unveiling a whole new series whether people like it or not. I have to have no judgement and just accept whatever it is, whatever the reaction is of the audience.”
As part of her exhibition, Taisha will unveil a new series in a new medium. It combines alcohol ink sealed under resin.
“They look like glass,” she says. “The blues that I did, it looks like you’re diving into the deep blue sea. And the greens that I did look like you’re on a walk in the forest.”
While she has been working with alcohol ink for the past couple of years, using resin has been new.
“It’s been a process. There have been a lot of ups and downs. And I’ve made a few mistakes, and I’ve had to restart. Resin is a pretty intense process. You have to mix a hardener. And this resin, you have to mix the exact amount, equal to the other. And you have three-and-a-half minutes to mix it. And once it’s fully mixed, you have 45 minutes to set it in place. And then, you better get it all done in those 45 minutes because once it dries and gets all sticky, then it takes 24 hours to fully, fully dry,”
Resin also requires the use of a blowtorch to fully adhere it to the surface, something Taisha says was fun to use.
In addition, work from previous series will also be on display, showcasing the range of work she is interested in.
“That’s the thing with my work,” Taisha says. “I haven’t found that one theme or type of art that I want to do forever. Like most artists, they have that one specific theme. But I’m still having fun playing around with new materials.”
And it’s this idea of fun with her art that has helped her maintain her mental health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It has given her an outlet, something to focus on and forget the outside world, even if for a moment.
Artists call it “being in the flow.”
“I forget about everything else that’s going on in the world, and I’m just really consumed by my art,” she says. “And watching the colours mix and flow together and being surprised by how it turns out. So, it’s been really nice.”
Taisha’s exhibition runs throughout March at Art @Bentall.
By Nathan Durec