With the pivotal BLM movement, growing COVID conversations and other larger social justice issues at the forefront of all news and reporting, it’s influence is unprecedented.
Unprecedented: A phrase of (hopefully) necessary growth in 2020.
Beginning on June 1st, the need to comment on these issues was strong. But over time I, like many, realized the need to ever growing need to listen rather than speak. Alternatively, as a period of reflection and learning, I shifted some of my drawings to blind contour drawings.
This is a classic drawing exercise to train the eye to see small details and contours. Without looking at the page, the goal is to create one continuous like for a given object. Your eye remains locked on the object and as your eye moves along the object’s edges your pen slowly moves on the page.
Conceptually I connected with this practice this month. No matter how detailed and representational you think you are depicting the object, the end drawing is never quite right. Distorted and slightly off, these objects can sometimes be unrecognizable. I think this comments on how many voices are being used right now. The intentions may be “right” but the end drawing will always be off.
Toward the ladder end of the month, you can also tell when I received news of my new art studio at Artspace! Floor plans and shop displays filled my head as I prepped for this new chapter. I am so excited for what July 1st will bring when I get my keys!
