5:57 PM: we're not there yet, now that i'm re-visiting it. something interesting and exciting could be happening, but that fragile balance between recognizable imagery and abstraction is still unresolved.
3:46 PM: so i let go of the idea of stripes, companion pieces and so on, and now, although the painting is not complete, the picture plane is more integrated. it reads as one event. if you take a look, below at the image accompanying my 2:16 PM post, you will see what i'm talking about. the random elements introduced by collaging create completely unexpected relationships, so that 1+1=3 or 4. in one sense, i start fresh with each new piece, despite the temptation to repeat something that may have worked in the last painting. on the other hand, i think you do get smarter about how you work technically, and how you filter and translate your unconscious into action. as well, you become more adept at actually listening to the painting itself as a living, breathing entity.
2:16 PM: grey 24 is in an interesting place right now. there are some cool solutions, but it still doesn't have an identity; a persona. the two fayum eyes subtly peaking through point to my focus on the gaze, with being too obvious. but in the end it's all about the picture plane and the space. right now, i'd say there's a battle going on between the 4 main elements, and i need to be willing to sacrifice the idea for the greater good of the whole painting.
11:58 AM: as i listen for the first time to a cassette tape i made in 1977 in the studio of tsarouchis, i am slowly working on grey 24. and i wonder to myself, what would he and niki karagatsi, who was also present in the studio, have thought of this work?
work continues....
our walk this morning was shorter, but long enough to provide a good workout. it wasn't one of those celestial walks; to warm & humid; nonetheless we were energized & i feel the results right now right here in my painting.
8:40 AM:
the mosquitos have been around for a week or so, but I'm declaring today the official start of mosquito season in the baca grande, adjacent to crestone. generally it lasts through the end of july, or about 7 weeks. since there's no spraying, except this year in the town of crestone, there can be clouds of them, which makes hiking the trail a challenge. not to worry, we have mosquito netting jackets; annoying to wear but effective in preventing bites.
detail of grey 24 as it looked yesterday
in about an hour, i'll be walking over to my studio to continue work on grey 24. at this stage, it kind of looks like you know where it's headed. that's exactly when i like to take a turn in a new direction. i'll post pics as they become available. by the way, did i mention that the title i'm considering for the exhibition of my grey series is: the gaze?