Testing. . . 1, 2, 3

The above drawing is in the collection of Charles Dee Mitchell. Now I wish it was in the show with the others as it is part of that series.  Please come to the opening of Parallel Process, Saturday May 10th 6-8pm with Polly Lanning Sparrow, Leslie Wilkes, and Toni LaSalle. 

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Artist Statement: 

In my work mechanical-like systems are subjected to or are participants in an indirect and formal examination of structure; or a subverted diagrammatic, engineering process. Parts are extracted, analyzed, and re-translated, using both digital and analog tools. I propose questions in the investigation and set up specific games, parameters and rules to respond to in the work’s progression. The language of line propels the work, and I use it to help make visible the parts, and to find the answer to ‘what connects to this, how is this connected to that, etc.’

The Octagon Vibration series:

Thoughts 2/14/14 with excerpts from my artist statement

These large “white” drawings on paper (60” x 44”) consist of graphite, charcoal, conte, pastel, pigment and paper collage elements. I include rulers, tape, and stencils in my process. Along side them I have been working on monotypes and drypoints utilizing stencils. This often results in embossed areas of “white on white” They are my most recent response following my L.E.D. series, as in how I vary my grounds in a series, “The L.E.D. work’s veils and values of blackish-grey follow previous works where my investigation of painted grounds focused on bright yellow, various greys, red or Pescia blue.”

The limitations of color grounds is part of my game playing, “I propose questions in the investigation and set up specific games, parameters and rules to respond to in the work’s progression. The language of line propels the work, and I use it to help make visible the parts, and to find the answer to ‘what connects to this, how is this connected to that, etc.’ ”

Charles Dee Mitchell and others have suggested to me that the viewer’s engagement in my work is in “seeing” the drawing being built in the drawing. That is very satisfying to me as the artist.

The physicality of edge that results in my collage process is desired and parallel to the embossed edge in my printmaking imagery. It becomes another way to make a line or shape, another way to delve into the structure of the image. In 1999 I began to build my drawings and paintings with scraps of wood, as another way to draw. I would have to anticipate the top view, back view, side view of the image, whether I was re-inventing the drawing in wood or re-inventing from my mind’s eye on paper; “Overall, the resulting mechanical-like systems in my work over the years are subjected to or are participants in an indirect and formal examination of structure; or a subverted diagrammatic, engineering process. Parts are extracted, analyzed, and re-translated, using both digital and analog tools.”

The Octagon Vibration series is a reference to Emma Kunz’s work, which might serve as a portion of the iceberg for a mountain of spiritualists involved in abstract art throughout art history.  “Reference,” as described with the Maldoror Drawings, or mentioned in the L.E.D. series, and each past series of my work; the “reference” is an underlying “something” which I find kinship mostly after the work is made. I am not trying to illustrate ideas or make them visible. All in all, each series is a continuity of that which resonates. Each series is a different way to approach how to make visible that which resonates. The references are more like how a poem works to help make visible or structure the thing that drives me to “make” which has no words or imagery. This is why I included a poem in the L.E.D. exhibition.

 
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(OVS-3B) Octagon Vibration Series, Oscillation Expansion, 2014, graphite, pastel, pigment, 44"x35” and below, an inversion of the image as an experiment. It doesn't surprise me that it reminds one of my L.E.D paintings.