ABOUT ME
Ainsley Dack is a figurative painter and muralist from Victoria, BC. Her work has garnered local attention, appearing in the Commox Valley Record, and is entering the spaces of businesses and organizations around Victoria as she continues to grow her reputation.
She completed her BFA at the Alberta University of the Arts in 2017, and found success as a commission based artist selling wearable art to clients internationally, some of whom are public figures such as NHL athletes. She has since departed from commission work in order to fully express her artistic vision without limitations and to pursue a career as an exhibiting artist and muralist.
Her new artwork serves as a reflection of her soul, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the powerful emotions they portray. Through her brushstrokes and inventive layering, she paints her subjects in a spiritual landscape of vibrating colours.
"What inspires me most is the human capacity to endure pain, adapt by reframing reality, and ultimately transform into a better self."
I have always been aware of a heightened reality, one that extends beyond our physical senses. Being an emotionally sensitive person has led me through periods of intense depression as well as moments of awakening.
These experiences have endowed me with a deep understanding of the natural and essential cycle of transformation and rebirth that unfolds over the course of one's lifetime. What inspires me most is the human capacity to endure pain, adapt by reframing reality, and ultimately transform into a better self.
My paintings capture various stages of transformation. They reflect emotions ranging from confusion and despair, to realization and bliss. Each painting represents a stage in the process of existential growth.
My artistic process involves laying down a neon acrylic base and then applying fragmented brush strokes of oil on top, occasionally scraping away layers of oil to reveal an underlying gradient that mirrors the spiritual dimension. The combination of neon acrylics with oil paint serves as a metaphor of the fusion of old and new ideals that transcend into a greater understanding.
The end results are portraits that simultaneously disintegrate into and build upon a concealed nature they are intrinsically linked to. Through my art, I aim to resonate deeply with the viewers' souls, serving as a reminder that they are not alone in experiencing loneliness, feeling lost and estranged, or being overwhelmed. I want to remind them that brighter days can emerge from challenging moments.
Because of these deeply existential themes, I see my work as a rejection of postmodernism, and as part of a new movement to bring beauty and meaning back into our culture. I believe that this transformation of sacred tradition into a contemporary framework is the key ingredient to breaking the spell of our nihilistic society that has alienated our souls today.