Experimentation

There has been little consistency in my artwork lately, other than the presence of a figureand that I am doing it every day. I have been experimenting with abstracting the figure.  So far, I don’t think I have pushed the actual abstractness of the figure very far, just the backgrounds or the style of presenting the figure.  I worked really hard to create a consistency in my work and now, I am all over the place using different mediums and different styles.  And, I am having a lot of fun.  I am feeling confident enough to play around.  I was talking to some artists yesterday about how hard they work and how they are trying to convince the people around them that it isn’t a hobby, but serious work.  I get that.  We all want to be taken seriously in what we are trying to perfect.  But, even in the midst of hard work, it should be fun I think and I am currently at that place because I gave myself permission to see what I could do.  Anyway, there is no convincing others of the value of your work.  You just have to keep going out to the studio and do it.  There is no perfecting in creating artwork.  You can build skills if you work at it, but there is no final destination.  Doing it is the process of learning and learning should be fun I think.  I don’t think I will ever be “taken seriously” at least by my family.  Go Figure!

Self Portrait

This is me in a box.  Why am I in a box and why do I look so haggered?  Good questions.  When you stare into a mirror intensely to see what you look like, all the imperfections seem to show.  This is not an unhappy painting.  It is not like I want to hide in a box or anything.  However, I do have fond memories of making secret little play houses out of boxes as a kid.  Occasionally my mom would arrange to have a refrigerator box delivered for our creative pleasure.  Back then, those boxes seemed like a mansion and refrigerators were a lot smaller then they are now.  I wonder if I could get an appliance delivery person to drop one off at my house?  Sounds like a perfect grandkid activity.  A box for one of those double doored monstrosities would make a good duplex. I admit it, I am as goofy as this self portrait portrays.  Go Figure!

Balloons

Balloons are one of those conflicting things in life.  They represent fun times, childhood, birthday parties, circuses and baby showers.  They are colorful and full of memories, and they are fun to pop.  If you let go of them they propel wildly making farting noises.  If they are full of helium and you let go, they fly up and up and up forever.  But, the reality is that they don’t disappear into the nether reaches, they submit to gravity and fall to the earth as more plastic waste which works its way to the oceans and wildlife along with plastic bags, 6-pack holders and lost flip flops.  The above illustration, which I did with watercolor, colored pencils and ink, represents the happier story.  Apparently the new Halloween tradition is to hand out goodies out of he trunk of your car so kids avoid going to strangers houses, although my mother would have freaked out if I took something from the back end of a car. Times have changed and the more conscientious parent gives out treats that won’t rot your teeth.  This brings us back to balloons, a good alternative, right? I really know how to take the fun out of balloons don’t I?  Go Figure!