Acrylics on canvas; 75x75 cm. (2021) Inspired by Mushroom cults and gods of Ancient Mesoamerica this work represents a maze-like journey we take through life to seek knowledge/enlightenment; pink is the colour of Venus the goddess of Rebirth

My work is inspired by nature and walking. I visualise many seen and unseen paths, and imprints, made by many walkers, animals, and plants as forces that connect us.

I found myself exploring mycelium networks and the kingdom of fungi, the invisible matter beneath our feet. I am fascinated by their complexity and power, biological and scientific properties, and mythological connections to prehistoric times. Metaphorical connection between spiritual, the inner soul, the environment we live in, and celestial – a ladder, mosaic, a net that entangles the world. I am inspired by the works and ideas of many artists, especially Juan Miro and his dream-like abstracts and sculptures, and Yayoi Kusama’s repetition of pattern and exploration of shape and colour; I also greatly admire and get inspiration from indigenous paintings, designs, and Mesoamerican art in mushroom cults.

Through the repetition of pattern, layering, colour and texture I create my own world where each mark is a step – each step is a hypha - a link that expands and grows to become a network.
The process of painting and making is like a maze – or mycelium – it moves in all directions, expands, and explores possibilities. My work is my fruiting body, my mushroom, that starts with a spore, an idea that grows and evolves into an entity of its own. In my work, I look for connections between myself, the world around me, and new ways of experiencing the familiar through the unfamiliar approach and exploration. The process is important to me, and I tend to use materials as my substrate, where ideas land as a spore, and the result is a new fruit that gives way to new ideas to continue as a new link of an expanding net.

Insta:@natalyagriffinart