Erin Peterson Fleming

www.instagram.com/erinpetersonflemingart/

I am an abstract mixed media artist residing in Arlington, VA. I create original, handcrafted paintings on paper, canvas, and wood panels using various materials, including acrylics, pastels, graphite, and collage elements.  

As a child, I loved all things art and took a few painting classes in high school and college. Soon after; however,  I traded my paintbrushes for textbooks and an office to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. In 2022, while signing up my daughter for a painting class, I felt a strong urge to enroll in my own painting course. The very next day, I joined an experimental painting class, which was the perfect way to reconnect with my creative side. Although painting abstractly felt daunting at first, it soon became a powerful creative outlet and a way to balance the challenges of working in a helping profession. My childhood love of art was reignited, and I am immensely grateful for this reconnection.  

My process involves spontaneity, playfulness, and intuition.  I often begin by experimenting with colors and shapes and allow intuition and emotions to direct me.  After this initial time for free play and experimentation, I refine my work using principles of value, design, and color.   I gravitate toward movement,   layers, and visual depth and delight in differences whether it be shapes, textures, edges, or colors.  In many ways, my creative process mirrors my approach to working with clients in psychotherapy- exploring the layered complexities of life, honoring emotions, and remaining curious about what is seen and unseen.