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Showing posts with label simplification of form. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simplification of form. Show all posts

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Jig

Jig   watercolor/relief ink   14 x 28
is the result of openness.  A conflict has arisen in my artistic pursuits.  My favorite subject:  the human figure.  However, posed models are usually at rest, and often the result of someone else's idea of a terrific pose....the artist providing for and arranging the model session.  A group session, of course, has the advantage of the shared expense of the model.  My own studio is rather small and cannot provide the distance I need for my own "big picture".  So, more and more, I am relying on photographs which, for me, do provide that distance, as well as the ability to be altered and pushed into my own vision.  This young woman was playing the fiddle in the middle of the gazebo in my small town during our Wednesday Farmers Market.  She was back-lit, unfortunately, so I had to cull out information from the darkness provided.  I love her gesture...an active one to be sure.  And...as in all meaningful rhythms, runs counter to the direction of her bow.  In order to give more power to the gesture, my task was to combine shapes where possible and eliminate unnecessary detail.  I am happy to have kept my eyes open to possibility and to accept what which was given to me.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Simplified Forms

hand carved rubber stamps
One of my artistic quests is the simplification of form..........that helps me to avoid detail, take a new spin on reality, and to enjoy form and line for their own sakes. I also enjoy the quality that printmaking provides....a kind of secondary soft application of pigment onto paper, which the direct application of painting cannot provide. Hence - carving rubber stamps. The commercial kind which can be purchased at any craft store are amusing enough, but just don't offer the rudimentary beauty which can be achieved by hand-cutting. It is not an easy endeavor, but is a creative outlet that doesn't require lots of time. All that is required is: a creative mind, an eraser, some lino cutting tools, some tracing paper, and some colorful markers. Tonight is my first class of "Everyday Art - Hand Carving Rubber Stamps" at Cuyahoga Valley Art Center.