Thursday, November 20, 2008

AEDM 20 - Erasure

And then, because there were far too many things going on and I HATED the composition, I struggled to figure out what to erase. The strong emotions used to keep me from continuing, now they just guide my eraser (if it's my standard pencil approach) or the white paint in this case. Shiny spot is because the paint is still wet!

I can't dream anything on this surface if there is so much visual noise. I'm looking for something from within - within the image and within me - and that requires more quiet, and more suggestions of things, rather than bold lines or shapes. Those can come later, when I'm defining whatever appears.

This is shaping up like The Storm and Angels in the Architecture. They were both carved out of a mess like this one, after there was enough going on to get the juices stated, and after my imagination got to the right mood.

Looking at Angels in the Architecture again makes me realize how much this painting is like my Nana Emery's style. That causes a pang of missing her - I would love to have shown this one to her and gotten her thoughts on it.

This might be all I get to contribute to AEDM 20.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know what I can picture in the white space, but now I'll have to wait to see what comes next.

Vikki North said...

Never thought of doing an abstract in this way but it works! You're a wild man. The colors are beautiful and the white really balances all.
I'd leave it alone. I think you're done with it.
Vikki

Steve Emery said...

DCup - maybe AFTER I'm done you can tell me what you pictured. That would be COOL.

Vikki - I realized last night that I might be able to just leave it, but... I'm not really interested in the finished product, and I wasn't looking for an abstract. So the journey continues. I will keep looking, layer after layer, and then see what happens. There are almost enough things going on that I think I can get it going... But it may need more noodling first.

carin.c said...

Thanks for sharing the steps along teh way. I guess time will tell what the painting is to be. I used to be in such a hurry but I am learning to slow down and just enjoy the process... something it seems you already do. Looking forward to the next step on this.