Present Tense

The byline "pondering art and its possibilities" has been particularly relevant of late since I am preparing for a show that will open in October. There are several bodies of work I haven't shown here so I am in in the process of "framing" the show conceptually and literally - and thinking about what to include and what will need to be made to pull the show together.

Everyday my journal work is scanned in my "lab" so I can see the pages in digital sequence. It's difficult to balance it all... time in the studio, lab, garden, classroom, etc, etc... in the meantime it is compelling for me to see how the work changes after very "natural" looking watercolor, gouache and collage on mulberry paper is viewed on a backlit computer screen. It's a different medium, different aesthetic, etc.

The sunflower drawings were inspired by an August 2006 residency at Moulin a Nef in Auvillar, located in southwestern France. If you are curious to see a few more scans just click on the title of this post. Translating the interior world of a journal into work that is meant to be seen in a more public realm is as challenging now as it was when I was an art student. Believe it or not it took many years for me to feel comfortable inviting people into my studio on the hill...