Structure = W.I.P

Studio time today was spent revisiting ideas surrounding structure and balance. While sketching out the designs for a new piece, I was surprised when my organic shapes transformed quickly into sharp angles and lines.  So I just kind of went with it…  just to see where it might lead. It ended up being a bit of a flashback as I used to create these on a much larger scale, over 10 years ago.

 

When I when back to school finishing my degree, one of the classes I needed to fulfill for graduation was Geometry.  During that one semester my art changed considerably. What was normally a very organic and free flowing process, evolved over time into sharp angles connected by straight lines. The thing that I found so interesting is that none of this was apparent to me till the semester was over and I looked back on the work that was created.

 

While working on this dropping in the colors it started to slow down my process. As I explored what feelings were bubbling up inside and what thoughts were stirring in my mind, I have felt that my time spent in the studio for the last several days has been really fragmented and not as productive as I would like it to be.  As I placed this out on the canvas I was reminded that when working on a Geometry problem the only way you could possibly get the correct answer is by doing the steps in the correct order.  I realized that by implementing a more concrete structure in the studio is the only way I will be able to move forward in these next couple of months.

 

Things have become more involved in the studio. I have larger projects happening and more deadlines. Because of this it seems I have a smaller time frame to complete everything. So when I looked at this piece I was reminded that structure could be my friend for now.

 

So back to the piece and not all the emotional baggage that I have attached to it.  This was an experiment in structure…. It is still a work in process and may change. But it served as a good reminder to me that sometimes the art needs to have its placement and structure redefined and that also needs to carry over into the studio as well.

 

I also have to remind myself the structure does not also me restrictions, but it can also be supportive.