reep-wat-U-sow, 12x14” collage, colored pencil and fountain pen on bristol paper
11:47 AM: i’ve been up since 5 am. we arrived at the studio at about 6:10 and took our walk up the trail about 7:15. i spent a few hours making mikela’s coffee and our smoothie and then returned to the collage/drawing i’ve been working on the past few days. collaging is interesting in this context; it allows me to review what i did a day earlier and make major or not so major changes easily. usually it’s a blank piece of paper cut into a curviliniar shape, with or without marks on it; sometimes fountain pen swirls. the artisis who came before me, like gorky, gave me permission to do what i’m doing and know when it’s too easy, too safe, too repetitive, too predictable. when i gaze at what i just did, as i’m now doing, my eye travels across the forms and colors and i either become excited or bored. if the latter happens, of course, it’s back to the drawing board.
guy on scooter, 2025, 13.5×11” collage & colored pencil on paper
if you compare yesterday’s (left) with today’s, a major difference is exclusion of the two female figures, allowing the eye to focus on the marks, colors and composition. that’s the point, really. on the other hand, when there’s a successful integration of both and a figure or figures is included, as you see in this one, with a guy on a scooter, the eye doesn’t go straight to the figure.
