We were in Indonesia and were travelling around on bicycles. I fell, and these kids came out and helped me up. They took me to their place and started to clean my wound. One of the kids’ mom came out with a bottle of iodine and started painting my bloody knee with the red liquid. It was so sweet of her. But then she continued and started covering all of my mosquito bites! I ended up covered with all these red iodine polka-dots. It was pretty funny, but I still remember how nice they were to me.
Lorraine P.
Norwich, UK
Artist’s response
I chose this story as my whole practice is based around colour. Although red is not a colour I usually work with I really liked the positive association red has on this story. I was inspired to push myself and make a piece that reflects this positive and humorous view on the colour. I was also immediately drawn to the selfless act of kindness the kids and their mother showed to the author of the story and how it has stayed with her to this day.
Artist
TAHLIA ARMSTRONG
Tahlia Armstrong is a colour field painter. She focuses on reacting to the qualities of paint, surface and most importantly colour without resorting to evocative titling to keep the focus on the work’s formalist values. She is an advocate for the appreciation of abstract art and pushing the boundaries of traditional painting.
Instagram: tahlsart