Blind Drawings: Something I'm thinking of doing again.

When I was working on my process for these paintings I did a bunch of really small ink drawings that reflected the first stage of my paintings. I did this as an exercise to figure out what it was that I wanted to do with these paintings. I needed to see a small version of what I was thinking of doing before setting out to do the full, life-size ones.

The excursive:

I would have a stack of small sheets of bristol board sitting on my lap, pen in hand, timer to my left. And in front of me would be an engaging enough movie. I would set the timer to about 10 minutes and while keeping my eyes on the movie I would draw these lines. I would later, in the studio, ad color. They turned out to be really beautiful. I did several bristol drawings and filled a sketchbook with them. Since then I haven't really done anymore of them and have simply focused all my energy on the paintings. I plan to change that. I'll be starting a new series of small blind drawings. I'll keep ya updated!

Current Paintings

Title: Zainy Brainy Beany Baby Shelf 42"x65"

Title: Near Death or Any Cockle Do 42"x63.5"

Title: The Diver 54"x42"

Title: Something About Sea Creatures 42"x87"

Little Fish Swallowed 42"x108"

Title: Fairies Don't Have Tails 84.5"x42"

Title: My Poison Lung 97"x42"

Artist Statement

I am interested in the impulsive response. I believe that when an action or response is done out of spontaneity and impulse it tends to be more honest, less censored and more pure, nothing is held back.

This is why the surface ground is so important in my paintings. With the energy that directly reflects my mood, I create the ground using continuous gestural lines that look like doodles and scribbles. On a large-scale sheet of watercolor paper I use different colors and mediums in order to build up a surface ground of several layers. In order to make these lines purely spontaneous and uncensored, I blindfold myself and allow a limited amount of time to make each layer (5-15 minutes). As a result, the lines that are produced become a visual map of my subconscious.

After creating this ground, I remove the blindfold and respond to the new surface as impulsively or instinctually as I can. Images appear and develop in the order that my subconscious responds to the lines and shapes on the paper. When an idea comes to me I do not allow myself time enough to question it. If I realize fast enough that the new idea or ‘response’ feels natural or even brings a smile to my face, I try it. This forces the painting to evolve and grow, because then I end up responding to that previous move or mark that was just made.

In my work there is a constant struggle to trust my instincts, impulses and initial desires. The images that appear in my paintings become a sort of metaphysical conversation. In the end, whatever exists on the paper is a manifestation of what is going on within my psyche.

My Poison Lung

Newest Earrings: March Series