Thursday, January 5, 2017

Up in My Artio

I've converted most of the second floor of my house into an Artio where I have tables and shelves and easels set up where I do drawing, painting, collage work and play music. The intensity with which I pursue these activities varies through time but it feels as if the upcoming year will see a lot of work/play done there. The picture on the left is of the left half of a collage of images I have been working on for a few weeks. The finished collage will be 20 x 30 inches. One of my long term obsessions is harvesting images from magazines and books. I go through 5 to 10 magazines a day and a  couple of books and tear and cut out images. I have boxes and boxes full of images, some from as long as 20 years ago. Upcoming are collages in which I will integrate drawn elements, painting, words and perhaps handmade papers.


Ever since I started doodling and drawing on the edges of notebook paper in junior high school 60 years ago I've had a fascination with pattern and texture and line and still do. This drawing to the right is 17 x 20 inches.














Another collage done last year, magazine images, papers from Racine's, a little drawing.



































Another drawing of pattern and texture. The colored background was created with stamping using a stamp that I made from a rubber eraser. I used a felt tipped calligraphy pen to add the color. It is 20 x 30 inches.
























And finally a mixture of collage,  (the red lines and yellow sun) and drawing (the textured red dots). 10 x 14 inches.

Who knows what if anything this all means? I only know that I enjoy it, I'm peaceful and happy when I'm doing it and sometimes people enjoy seeing them.