This blog is something of a two edged sword. It's invaluable in helping me reflect on my learning and progress as well as keeping me disciplined, but if I'm not careful I use it to avoid actually making any art.
A significant hurdle for me has been to get away from language and articulation to actually just doing something. Given that I am still such a rookie, exercises like the one above are important for several reasons:
- They are done using media I haven't used before (charcoal and wax medium) which means I'm learning new ways to work
- They force my brain to work in a different way that is not dependent on writing or language
- Working this way helps me overcome that initial fear of failure
- Working this way helps me focus on process over result
I continue to call this series of spontaneous work 'Cartographies' because I find metaphors referring to journeys apt for my studies and because it feels as if I am plotting out something that can only be done through the visual. What made my hand make these particular marks? Was it my subconscious? Was it based on a feeling? Maybe asking questions is pointless, the work does not have much to do with analysis and everything to do with action and reaction.
