It depends on how you look at it.
That is the title of a new solo exhibit at the Station House Gallery featuring works by Tiffany Jorgensen (Doering) of Williams Lake.
Paintings, mostly large ones, cover the entire main gallery walls as well as spill into a small foyer, covering a variety of ideas and responses experienced by the artist.
During her artist talk to the many family, friends and community members in attendance for the show's opening Thursday, Sept. 5, Jorgensen admitted she works best under pressure and the bulk of the paintings were created in the few weeks leading up to the show.
"My goal for the show was to bring something different that maybe you haven't already seen," she said.
Her tendency is to paint visions using symbols and metaphors, she explained, noting she draws from different perspectives, whether it be emotional, physical or visual.
"I picture something and then I try to make that happen into a painting. Sometimes I use a lot of different reference photos."
While all art has a story tell, Jorgensen said, she wanted to paint a clear invitation for the person viewing the painting to invent the story of why it was painted, what it would mean to the person or why it would be representative of their own life.
Used to being a prolific painter, Jorgensen said she struggled this year because of the many changes that happened in her life recently.
"They were all very good things," she said, adding she got married to Brian Doering, and she had several new animals. "Most artists would say, 'happiness is great, but it doesn't make for really good art content.' So when your life is going really well, how do you paint all this dramatic metaphorical stuff on happiness?"
Normally she navigates her life while she paints.
'Before I painted what I felt navigating chaos looks like such as empowerment and strength."
Her recent paintings she described as "directional" and with "no definitive answer," even though the questions were there.
"It made sense because I am trying to navigate this life with happiness instead of chaos."
Her favourite piece in the show is Remnants. The painting shows the staircase leading to the upper gallery at the Station House with several paintings hanging on the walls.
While creating the piece, she questioned herself because it involved drawing man straight lines for stairs and the paintings.
Taking a break from working on it, she put the painting outside for 10 minutes and then her dog, Maverick, started chewing the canvas.
"Normally you can fix it, but I just couldn't and thought it was unfortunate that the canvas was garbage and I had spent so long drawing lines."
Before she had the opportunity to toss it, her husband's son Emerson Doering, suggested she paint all the paintings within the painting as if they were wrecked too.
"Genius," she said. "I called it Remnants and the interpretation is completely yours. The intention I had behind this painting is that everything in there is done. There is the road to my old house. There is one where we used to go camping for 10 years and there is the shadow of my dog, Jaspy-poo."
Otto, another dog, is featured in the painting at the top centre, peeking through a window at the top of the stairs.
"I would love to hear your personal interpretations of each of these paintings, regardless if it reminds you of something, why you hate it or ii it makes you feel really uncomfortable," she said.
There is one painting depicting herself giving the middle finger titled It's not personal.
She said it was inspired by internet trolling where people make mean comments and then qualify them by adding, 'it's not personal.'
Frames for the paintings were made by Shaun Dueck, who she thanked along with thanking her husband Brian Doering.
Originally from White Rock, B.C. has painted commissioned murals, portraits, animal portraits and paintings.
She is one of the three artists making up Cariboo Art Beat, which houses a studio gallery in downtown Williams Lake.
The exhibit will remain at the gallery until Sept. 28. The Station House is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
