b. 1984
Alicia Sampson Ethridge (b. 1984, New Jersey) is an artist living in Coastal Maine and a founding member of Seven Artists Collective. She received her MSW in Expressive Arts from the University of Southern Maine (2012) and BA in Anthropology and Art History from Montclair State University (2007). Ethridge studied abstract painting, life drawing and experimental drawing at Maine College of Art (2014-2019). Ethridge was ordained as a Soul Friend and Art Monastic through Inner Life Creations (2024), a modern Sanctuary and Wisdom School. Ethridge works primarily in oil and mixed media collage. Her practice is influenced by a personal spirituality practice, myth, dreams, nature and motherhood. Ethridge’s work fuses life and art in her decade long study of art monasticism. Through contemplative art techniques such as Lectio Divina, Pantoum, and the embodiment of dream characters, Ethridge has found that art and prayer have much in common – both are rooted in an intense encounter involving a surrender of willfulness, openness to inspiration and lead to a deep engagement with mystery.
“There is a Sun within Everyone, Naked in the Wind, Respite and Listen to the Wind in the Trees and Watch the World Go By were created after watching the full Wolf Moon rise on January 25th, 2024. Awestruck by this celestial body, I ventured out into the freezing dead of winter, my breath visible in the moon beams; I bathed in its luminosity. In the coming days I investigated myths and symbolic attributes of wolves with specific focus on Celtic stories. The oil paintings in this series employ a deeply personal iconography: wolves (intuition and shadow), women (mother and daughter), flowers (hope and new beginnings), birds (messengers) and the Tibetan prayer flags that were a gift from my deceased mother. Wolves are said to bring a strong sense of faithfulness, inner strength and intuition. Some Celtic tales say that wolves who denned in caves were perceived as entering and exiting the other world. They also believed that wolves had the ability to communicate with the spirits of the dead, and that they were therefore able to act as intermediaries between the living and the dead. I feel allied with the Wolf as I tend to my connection with my deceased mother. Wolf is teaching me that I don’t have to fear my darkest places and loneliness. Wolf is teaching me to communicate across the spiritual plane and trust that can rely on my faithful pack to find hope and joy anew.”
Q. If you could offer your younger self any advice at the start of your artistic career, what would it be?”
A. “Know that there are periods of gestation, it may not look like much is happening but your creativity is being fertilized Notice connections, see the threads between ideas Sometimes we struggle with our work, its natural Create your unique environment, free yourself of distractions Loosen up, don’t force it, find your groove, get out of your own way Once an idea takes root, show up, nourish and nurture it If you get stuck, PLAY, use the art of make believe Pause, Look, avoid overworking a piece Let the work leave the nest, share your art with the world”