THE WAY I THINK OF IT
There is the journey and there is the territory. The territory is an interest in exploring spaciousness. For the most part I stay within abstraction. Lines and spaces, simple shapes.
And then there is the journey. I do a piece, and then I think: “I’d like to do another one kind of like this one, or two or three, or ten or twenty.” “like this” may mean size, materials, technique or image. Each piece evolves out of the last and what determines the direction is an inner sense, an intuition toward some sort of harmonious unknown, the integration of impulses, territory as yet unexplored.
SUTRAS
Sutras are the sacred texts of Asian spiritual practices. "Copying Sutras" refers to the Buddhist monk's practice of, well, copying sutras. It started before the days of print when that was the only way to share them, and then continued as a regular practice to review the content. Japanese and Chinese calligraphy have been an inspiration to my work in many ways. Even though I don't understand the languages, the beauty of the lines and presentation speaks to me. Preparing the paper and the spontaneous painting of the circles is part of a practice of experiencing spaciousness in all aspects of life. Please just sit with them without looking for interpretation. That they have no specific reference to verbal meaning is, to me, the meaning.
THE RAFFIA WORK
I am inspired by the Asian philosophies that emphasize emptying the mind and experiencing the energy that creates all things. I am inspired by the meditative nature of crafts such as basketry, textiles, Asian calligraphy. In my daily practice I use simple materials, basic shapes and modest size. I explore repetition and variation, the emotional effects of color, and enjoy allowing the imagery to evolve. I like to work with lines because of how they evoke the spaciousness around them. I allow for the interplay between spontaneity and restraint, imperfection and puzzlement.
At first I tried sewing with different types of thread until I settled on using raffia because it has an uneven look and I can rip it in half to make it thinner and even dye it with ink. After much experimentation, I found that handmade papers from China, Nepal and Bhutan have the right combination of flexibility and strength that allows for sewing and accepts color in a natural kind of way.
I often work on several at a time, pinning them up and looking at them for awhile. Eventually, I add color with ink or acrylic gouache. It is interesting to see how the different media soaks in, or doesn’t soak in, to the different papers. I cannot tell exactly what the color will be or which brush strokes will show until it dries. The inability to know what will happen requires adaptation as I go along. The obstacles, awkwardness, surprises, adaptations and mysteries reflect the passage of the period of time I work on each piece
MORE THOUGHTS ON ART AND LIFE