The research and creation of the mixed media paintings “Fear in the Way of Life” aimed to study the beliefs of Thai people regarding how they deal with fear in their daily life as presented through symbols believed to be able to protect them and ward off danger. The symbols studied were used to create mixed media paintings. This study is a project involving research and development consisting of the following steps: 1) studying the relevant body of knowledge in the fields of religion, belief systems, psychology and art, and determining a research framework (R1), 2) creating mixed media paintings (D1), and 3) analyzing the mixed media paintings in terms of aesthetic patterns and meaning interpretations (R2) by using related analytical theories which include Kobayashi’s color theory and Gene Mittler’s theory regarding analyzing and determining the relationship between elements of art and principles of art. Research findings show that: 1) Thai people’s fundamental fear is the fear of invisible harm. This is caused by the fear of unwanted circumstances, and insecurity in life and work. In order to eliminate this type of fear, sacred objects that are believed to have protective power are used. These sacred objects are found in the form of symbols which can be categorized into man-made artefacts, animals and colors which correspond to their beliefs regarding auspiciousness, prowess and power. 2) To create these mixed media paintings, the researcher was inspired by personal fears which include fears of not attaining that which is desired and of receiving something unwanted. The researcher presented how she eliminated personal fears consistent with the belief systems passed on through the generations by adopting the symbols of spider webs and gems. Spider webs are a symbol of catching desired things and represent protective power. This is because spider webs are believed to be auspicious. Physically, the web is a safe place to live and also a trap. In terms of form, the web has a free form and is ready to be changed into any other form depending on the object to which it is woven to attach. As for gems, they symbolize the researcher’s objects of desire as they are believed to have the magical power to bring happiness, prosperity and wealth. For all these reasons, the forms of spider webs and gems were employed to create the mixed media paintings. Based on Objectivism, which holds that beauty is a property of an object, lines and crystals were drawn and attached one by one. Therefore, the work consists of lines, dots and colors, making it a semi-abstract work. The beauty of the work was created using colors which coexist harmoniously with delicate lines and the glittering effect of crystals. Seeing the final product brought a sense of happiness to the researcher. Moreover, it was found that the process of creating a work of art was an advanced form of self-therapy as it has therapeutic value. It also has an aesthetic effect, causing people to temporarily forget their daily lives and appreciate and indulge in pleasure. Creating the work made the researcher feel relaxed and revitalized and ready to face fear and problems confidently.
