Bethany Hofer
When Words Fall Short
The human mind is packed full of ideas, emotions, inner turmoil, unspoken words and unique thought processes. Sometimes it becomes too much for the individual to comprehend all of these factors at work. In fact, words sometimes fall short when describing the personal trials that one faces. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26).
This body of work takes a deeper look at the mind of the artist and the inner turmoil taking place within the depths of her soul. Wrestling with the grips of anxiety and perfectionism, each piece seeks to let go of the bondage of control and release the tension of the mind. Perfectionism paralyzes a person with fear: fear of failure, fear of sticking out, fear of other’s displeasure. In order to let go of these binding fears, it is important to not think but just do. This is where the process of creating the artwork
became therapeutic; feeling paint on the fingertips, and watching the colors mix.
A variety of lines, dripping water, splatters, and smears of acrylic paint begin to express the emotions of confusion, anxiety, and the process of opening up. These ideas can be challenging to put into words. However, using art has been an unspoken way of expressing the emotions and thoughts that are otherwise hard to verbalize. Striving for personal growth by letting go, allows for the chains of control and perfectionism to break
away. While words might fall short, the Lord intercedes for us. In this case, he uses my brush strokes, instead of words, to portray the innermost feelings of the heart.
