I would say the weekend has officially started....of course, for many of you in different time zones, there's no question that the weekend has begun! Hope you have a fine couple of days! I'm here to show you this week's dailies and just share a few thoughts I've had today about them. First I must admit the fact that, due to my busier than usual week, I ended up having to make the "dailies" for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday all this morning. Life sometimes has a way of commanding attention and drawing you away.
I'll also say here that the dailies are an intuitive practice (as is almost all of my work), so I never know what will happen when I make the first mark....I just follow my instincts. In the same way that we never really know what's going to come out of our mouths when we speak in a conversation because the transfer from brain to voice happens so quickly, the drawings are like a conversation with myself....or my various "selves." In order to get back on track, this morning I started with Wednesday's drawing (the 11th of July) and worked on it in stages. While it was resting and drying, I began Thursday's and then today's drawing. Wednesday's wasn't right, so I kept going and kept pushing, sort of like forging a new path....drawing back in with black water soluble crayon before the white ink was even dry....layering, adding, covering, building. I thought about how I'm drawn to works of art that arrive at their finish in visible layers, where there is evidence of struggle, of a conversation between the maker and the mark. And while any of us can stand back and look at the work we've made, I wonder if we can ever truly separate ourselves and see it objectively. So, while I recognize this Wednesday drawing below might be described as rather clumsy, I'm satisfied to see the layers of it's history, the evidence of the conversation with the part of me that is unafraid of chaos.
Was there perhaps too much chaos and did some other side of me demand order after declaring the Wednesday drawing finished and the conversation over? "Thursday's" drawing (again, it was also made this morning) began with the middle area of looping lines....this might have spiraled out of control and gone the way of the other one, but the other self reigned me in....order, order, keep it simple.
I really loved this post Patti - loved what you said about your drawings and the process you went through. Especially love that the drawing that captivated you most was the one that 'required the most work, the most struggle and carried the most history'. Beautifully said.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan....happy to hear the words and the dailies resonated with you! Glad you respond to that particular drawing, although I'm not surprised actually, now that I think about it! Have a great week!
DeleteI am with you- there is something in witnessing the 'history' and the dialogue of the mark-making that makes a work so very attractive.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work!
Annamaria, thanks for your comment! Always good to know others share your sentiments, isn't it!?
DeleteAs ever i love the storytelling Patti and then looking at the piece you describe and the journey to create it - all wonderful (altho occasionally angst-inducing it would seem). So many selves to keep under control! Hope you had a happy weekend...
ReplyDeleteFiona, happy to hear you liked the story behind the work. Usually, as you know, I just post them, but somehow the process was very much on my mind this time and the realization about the visible history was something I needed to share! And yes, those rascally selves are quite something to keep track of!
DeleteCheers!
Nice to find you here, I know you from your Etsy shop. This was just the post I needed to see this morning. I'm trying to increase my output, and begin a daily production of paintings or drawings along with my plein air and studio practice. This is lovely to see, I agree that the piece with history is most intriguing but the sweet, free, playfulness of the others charms me too.
ReplyDeleteHi Elaine...thank you so much for your comment. So sorry to be so late in responding, but have been under the weather and just getting caught up. So happy to hear this post gives you a bit of encouragement and I thank you for the encouragement on my work! So glad you found the blog and I appreciate your comment! Best wishes.
DeleteWednesday's drawing is my favourite. It get's my heart racing which is a sure sign that I'm in love with a piece. What I really appreciate about reading art blogs is being able to gain additional insight into a piece. Often when i see a painting in a gallery or an art book I am left wanting to know more. It's a privilege to "hear" the artists thoughts behind the artwork.
ReplyDeleteRobyn....thanks for this encouragement. I find I probably hold myself back a lot from letting things really flow because I don't want to make a clunky drawing, but I think the Wednesday piece is the most genuine. I'm glad to hear you like to hear what's going on behind the scenes...I'm never sure if people are that interested! Great to hear from you!
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