Carla Lobmier

Artist Statement

"Among Ghosts (Is it mystery or incoherence?)" considers how we all live with uncertainties. These uncertainties become more illuminated after one experiences cancer, as well as one's treatment of the disease. The past, the present and the future tumble together in the mind, as we attempt to process and understand our lives and the changes that come with a cancer diagnosis. How to qualify that strange experience? For me as a practicing painter, how to capture this visually. I knew that ghost imagery needed to be included, but I did not want the ghosts to frighten. Rather, the ghosts were present to stir up thoughts, emotions, questions and, perhaps, experiences and even outcomes. The image of the target containing crosshairs falls on a question mark following the text, "Is it mystery or is it incoherence?" The benevolent ghosts circle in and among constellations around the target. Scattered in the composition are flying arrows, cards exposing aspects of life and text commenting on this mysterious reflection. Sometimes this might be and remain a mystery, while other times everything is simply unclear and illogical. Maybe, there are moments of understanding? We would like to know that our jeopardy has bounds, but possibilities are as countless as the starry sky. This painting is an expression of my many thoughts and emotions as I navigated my cancer diagnosis, treatment, and my changed life coming out on the other side of all of those experiences.