In The Studio
“Be noble. You are made of the stars. Be humble. You are made of the earth.”
Having time away from my daily life and studio has transformed the way I make drawings and paintings. While in Madrid for my artist residency with Ey!Studio Madrid, I I sketched and painted in parks, cafes, and my studio. I was searching for meaning in why I was there. Towards the end of the two weeks, it became clear to me that many of the small works on paper I had been making in recent years were studies for larger pieces.
November 6th. 9:18am
When I returned, I spent time creating space to start working at the scale of my body. It has been liberating in so many ways. Not only do I now have room to make larger pieces, but I also have the freedom to explore and experiment. For now, I’ve dedicated my easel to gestural drawings using charcoal and pastels. The work that has come from this is sometimes ugly, sometimes beautiful, but always cathartic.
This cathartic release that creative energy can bring is unlike anything else. As I embraced working at a larger scale, I discovered that this easel practice has become a dependable friend. I can approach it through all of my moods, in times of anger, desperation, despair, and joy. I do my best not to judge myself for the ugly ones or get too inflated over the pretty ones. Perhaps that is the real work.
Changing Scale
I’ve started scaling some of my watercolor studies. Currently, I’m working on three pieces called Noble/Humble. This series is different from my usual approach, where I begin without a set idea of the outcome. This time, since I have a study to work from, I am clear on where it is going, though I am not looking to replicate it exactly—only to use the study as a guide, so that the magic can still lead the way. Interestingly, these studies didn’t even start without a vision of where they would go. While in Spain, I came across a piece by Najia Mehadji and was so struck by its graphic vulnerability that I wanted to make something similar.
These pieces have been a meditation for me, both in process and in meaning. I look forward to showing them early next year at the opening at Westart Cafe. Keep a lookout for more details about that exhibition!