I've been deeply interested in the phenomenon of pareidolia ever since I was a very young child. Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon where people tend to see familiar shapes or patterns, such as faces, in random or unrelated stimuli. It's why we might see faces in clouds, rock formations, or even in objects like textured walls, tree bark or the moon.

Our brains are wired to recognize faces quickly, as it's an important part of social interaction and element of survival when we were living in a much more primitive state. This ability likely evolved to help us identify people and understand emotions. So, when our brains encounter ambiguous or random patterns, we sometimes interpret them as faces or other familiar shapes because we're so tuned to recognize them. This tendency is so strong that it can even lead us to "see" patterns in things that aren't intentionally designed to be meaningful, like looking at a knot in wood or clouds and thinking it resembles a smiling face.

It’s also why pareidolia is a common experience with inanimate objects. Our brains are just constantly trying to make sense of the world, even if that means seeing faces in non-living things. It's one of the most fascinating instances that show how our state of consciousness is highly suggestible and interpretive.

This phenomenon creates endless possibilities when it comes to art. I often start with no plan in mind allowing the random brush marks to reveal characters and surreal landscapes. Painting to see can often be more enriching than simply seeing in order to paint. It encourages a deeper engagement with the world around us, inviting us to explore and understand our surroundings with fresh eyes.