The Grids

When I started my blog 4 years ago I searched for a way to organize my photos and started to use a grid; it's wonderful structure with endless possibilities and a structure I love exploring. So when I first conceived of how The Voice of the Line would be organized I knew that grids would be a large part. It's the last weekend for the exhibition at Galerie Art Plus, so if you haven't had a chance to drop by please do; 8 rue Maple, Sutton, and the hours are from 1 - 5pm.

The Black Notebook, 8.5 x 8.5 image, 13 x 13 framed, mixed media on black Cranston paper

Altered Drawings, 11 x 11in image, 20.5 x 20.5 in framed, digital on Somerset paper

The Fierceness of Winter, 14.5 x 14.4 in image, 20 x 20 in framed, mixed media on paper

The Voice of the Line, 15.5 x 11 in image, 20.5 x 16.75 framed, ink on Japanese paper

Connections

Back drawing circles again. Lines appeared connecting the circles. I wasn't expecting this. Hmmm, actually I love when this happens. Nudges me along. And I have been wanting to work in the reverse, on white paper, so started some more circles, using charcoal. Still haven't started going back through my old notebooks, seem daunting and easier to just let the connections appear or happen. As this one did this morning. [2nd photo]

# 35, The Black Notebook

in geometry, 2008, Digital image, encaustic, 3 panels, 24 in H x 72 in W

More Oops

I seem to be taking a lot of out of focus photos these days, and while most go directly into the garbage, there are a few that whisper in my ear or nudge me. In the Black Notebook series, I have been trying to incorporate a circle; unsuccessfully. Except for the double exposure / out of focus shot which has the sensibility I was looking for. Not sure where the blue came from as all the lines are white, maybe it was thinking of Martin's work. [Link here]

an oops photo that better than the original work

The Black Notebook

The lines are mutating, cloudiness has set in. Keep it simple, this is about the line. Oops, falling in love with the masking tape, well it's another line.

#16, Black Notebook, 2012

#1, Black Notebook, 2012

#23, Black Notebook, 2012

#24, Black Notebook, 2012

Exploring Memory

Memories of my clothes making days, working with tissue paper patterns, made me think that if these hard pencils I've been using that leave groves in the paper and can be filled and smudged with graphite and chalk, why not try the old tracing wheel and transfer paper. I really like the idea of making marks using tracing paper; leaving traces behind, a faint image. An added plus, I love dots.

Experiment 1

And More Black

Interesting things happed where the masking tape was. I was using 5H, 3H and B pencils and when I laid down the chalk line I saw that the pencil had left indentations through the masking tape, which the chalk filled in when I smudged it. Ghost lines. Love when things like this happen, what a treat. I sense a lot of smudging coming up.

More Black

Some of the drawings have met the computer. This really helps me see what I wish I had done and what I want to do. Back to work.

On the computer

From the black notebook

Black Notebook

Found a lovely square black page notebook while cleaning the studio the other day. Making these line drawings is rather like playing scales. Line carries the same resonance as sound, Even graphite lines seem to have color and body; form to them. And at the moment I'm finding the repetition so enjoyable, the scratching sound on the paper, the scribble motion, and especially the endless combinations of patterns one can play with. The only down side is how tricky they are to photograph.

You can see where this is leading

Just Lines

My fascination with lines continues. Love how much a line can say. Love how it feels in my body when I make repetitive lines, like kneading bread; breathing with each stroke. Then the rhythm changes, becomes faster, the emphasis is on the out stroke of the pencil. And then it changes again. I am loving this dance.

The Black Quilt