Rita O'Hara

Carl Jung said that art can be an expression of archetypes and, as such, is both transformative and healing. Such universal and eternal images that frequently appear in my paintings are the mandala (the self), the wise old woman, the wise old man, eternal youth, the butterfly (the soul), fish (transition), an individual walking down a path (life's journey), stars (hope), birds (the soul), the swans (the supernatural), and the owl (usually and ill omen -- presages death; but in classical Greece means future success).

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The act of painting allows me to explore my unconscious. Like dreams or fantasies, I may not always understand the significance of the images -- they are the images of dreams -- but they allow me the opportunity to play. One image leads to another and thus they reveal their meaning. 

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My work as a rehabilitation counselor, a struggle with rheumatoid arthritis, an Irish--Catholic background, and an interest in the spiritual influence the form and content of the paintings. 

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All my paintings have been titled using lines from Emily Dickson's poetry.

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