VAN BANKSTON
My artwork is about being authentic, editing the world, editing my life to what is the truth. I hope my art encourages others to self-reflect; that it makes them stop, pause, take a breath, and contemplate. I hope it is a respite that is lifegiving, empowering, and supportive of self-discovery.
I aspire to raise consciousness through the process of painting. My art is an invitation to enter a contemplative space where the mind is free of absolutes and may experience the satisfaction of the present moment through the abstract essences color, balance, line, form, and texture.
I hope my paintings evoke a state of serenity, equilibrium, and wellbeing: a respite, in which one can detach and declutter, making space to create self through claiming and knowing self.
I was born and grew up in the Mississippi Delta. I have degrees in landscape architecture, education, and theology. I also studied at the New York School of Interior Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology. After years in New York City as an interior designer, I returned to Mississippi and worked full time as an artist, which ultimately led to a call to the priesthood. I have serviced as an Episcopal priest since 2012. I live in Belfast, Maine with my husband.