September 22, 2008

Transition Via Nudes...


Archive - 1991- Pinch Pot Nude From New Zealand - w/c - 22x30

This is what happens when I work totally in exploratory form. No doubt, you may wonder what on earth I was trying to achieve with this watercolor as it only makes sense with an understanding of where I was with my work. At this time, I was coming off all those grass paintings (I should soon get those slides back from being converted to digital somewhere on the other side of this great planet.) I had painted a huge series of pampas grass, plus series of palms, bamboo, daylilys, and even a selection featuring grass tied in knots. All without flowers or anything other than leaves in them... an obsession without a doubt! And green wasn't even my favorite color!

But I digress... it was time to move on and this painting tells the story of that search for the future. There's another painting in a similar vein without the nudes (they didn't last long, it was a minor diversion.) I'll feature that one another time.

The second pot was purchased in Santa Fe, mainly because of the weaving of stripes, not unlike my weaving of grasses... and so, relative to this composition. I made little nude templates and played with the repetition... the center icon reminded an Asian viewer of a Chinese coin... The painting became a patchwork quilt of ideas that didn't really work together, commitment to compositions that aren't really kosher but themed is such a way as to sorta, actually, kinda work... at least for this purpose, and at this point in time.

It's fitting that my oldest son has the painting... and the pinch pot... it's kind of a family thing.

I'll pull out a few images of how the PPNudes developed in the next post... not crazy about the photo effort but you'll get the idea... the above photo isn't a good shot either, the slide will be better.

3 comments:

Joe said...

Of course this is a favorite of mine. It's kind of like drag racing. The exciting part is when they're shifting gears. I always felt this represented mid-shift.

Always remember, it's not the destination that defines us but the journey. (Can't remember where I heard that)

Jacie Wiggs said...

Joe, it sounds like something Karen would say. LOL

I can see the natural progression into geometric compositions. I think it is wonderful when it happens this way. Over time, like we were born to go there!

Karen Jacobs said...

I think the comment I remember repeating the most was "Don't keep telling me what you're going to do, tell me what you've done!" Probably in respect to homework or room cleaning.

I like the shifting gears analogy... you either get a great surge of momentum or completely stall out. I've tried it both ways.