Since many of you enjoyed seeing my process in the last blog, here are details for I’ve Seen – a 14 x 11 inch work on canvas. It reflects my experience and perception of seeing and living my life.
I’ve Seen started with a reading from poet and playwright Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950). Millay said, “I see things with my own eyes, just as if they were the first eyes that ever saw, and then I set about to tell, as best I can, just what I’ve seen.” For me this defines all individual expression, whether it takes an art form, a facial expression, a hand gesture or larger action. And while I don’t believe expressiveness is limited to humans (think of your dog or cat, the crow protecting its nest, a surprised mole emerging to your presence, etc.), yet it’s in the telling that generally sets humans apart.
The artwork is loose, unstructured. This reflects my attitude that life allows room for everything. I also believe life is not linear: we do not travel a straight or wiggly path from birth to death. And it’s not long. After decades of living it still seems small. Short.
Generally speaking, I find life colorful, beautiful, glorious, complicated, difficult and instructive. The composition I’ve Seen uses color and forms in expressing elements of:
● Pink / joy, love
● Red / danger, obstruction fear; dots to emphasize
● Yellow / harmony, balance
● Green / growth, learning
● Light gray / tedium, some duties
● Bluish gray / everyday difficulties
● Brown / distractions; dots to emphasize
● Black circles / strong challenges; dots to emphasize
● Blue / emotions, general; light blue suggests lighthearted
● Golden bronze circles / unexpected good luck (like there’s something acting on one’s behalf)
● White: all else.