The latest work, “Office Phantasm” is signed and completed, and yes, it is a good feeling!Picasso said something to the effect that as you begin a piece, you must be on your guard against early infatuations, that is, with images that emerge in the creative process. He counsels against saving and honoring these images, and advises that they be “destroyed”, buried deep, yielding ever richer, stronger results in the process. The work above is a case in point.
I started this work quite a while ago, perhaps going on nearly a year. As the work progressed, I hoped to keep portions of it, here and there, which I found most pleasing. However, I could not seem to flesh out the entire piece based around saving these incongruent parts, and truly, in retrospect, they seemed somewhat anemic. The frustration gave way to boldness with some ninety per cent of the painting covered over with layers of gesso, paint and collage. In the end, all that I initially sought to save and maintain was layered under, with newer, bolder and more cohesive images emerging. The work became fully realized; images, themes and all.
The creative process here was a very satisfying and rewarding adventure, with much to ponder and learn, about myself, in the completed work.
Rich, as I have revisited you other work on this blog, the narrow figures with stick legs and tiny heads seem to repeat. Did some other artist influence you in this style? I can't get inside your head :), but these images to me reflect compression and stress/tightness. Then there are others that are beautifully rounded, serene, calming to the eye. And interspersed is a wonderful range of photography, unique color, vision always upward and outward, making the eye go to an unseen point. I admire your creativity and variety in formats!!
ReplyDeleteMarie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your thoughtful comments!
I can't think of an artist who has influenced my work with the stick-like, rigid figures. I would say that those works, along with the more fluid figurative works, are mostly driven by the media that I am working with at the time. The stick-like figures tend to involve collage.
When I work, I usually seek a dialogue or an interaction with the canvas, or paper if using pastels. I am seeking the image that longs to emerge.
With regards to photography, I just hope to be there to observe and, if fortunate enough, capture the wonder.
It's true. With all, I just want to have fun with it.
I so appreciate you checking in!