The interplay of light and darkness as shaper,

The transiency of time and movement in space,

The spiritual element present in the earthly,

These are the motivating factors of my work.

Frances Altwies, born 1942 in Detroit, Honolulu resident since 1987, Detroiter at heart.

A Waldorf teacher at DWS and Honolulu Waldorf school from 1980 to 2015, art was always a part of my life. One summer, I was introduced to the Collot d’Herbois approach to watercolor painting. From her work, I gained an appreciation of the color theories of Goethe and Steiner, through a technique called veil painting which focuses on the interplay of light and darkness; the result of their interaction ultimately revealed by the arising color. I learned that darkness, light and color are a reflection of a profound, soul-spiritual world.

During a sabbatical year I had time for further exploration of the medium and technique. I was allowed to participate in the task of the artists as defined by Rudolf Steiner: “ to carry the spiritual-divine life into the earthly life … to fashion earthly life so that its forms, colors, words, and tones act as a revelation of the world beyond.” I feel that the artist, honestly engaged in her art, builds bridges to the spiritual world, not only for herself but for all of humanity, much as the cloistered nun does while engaged in a meditative life.

Working with no preconceived composition, colors are laid over the paper until a form may arise. Whatever results, the intent is to create a timeless, transcendent quality and suggest the spiritual realities living behind the substantial forms. Ultimately, these figures came to life.

More about Veil Painting:
Veil paintings are created by thinning watercolors down to a very light value and applying one at a time in several layers, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. The painting starts out with no preconceived notion of the final result. Instead, the artist patiently applies “veils” of color in varying patterns until an image or motif reveals itself. Only then does the artist begin to develop the painting further. The process demands both mindful attention and intention. The result: beautiful, healing works of art.