I am posting this series so people can see the development of my ideas as I get to know, love and make art about a given landscape location. You are seeing Fawn's Leap, a waterfall in the Catskills near Tannersville. This waterfall has been drawn and/or painted by Sanford Gifford, Asher Duran, Bolton Brown and many others. Big footsteps to be walking in.
On top is "Fawn"s Leap, Wide View" -- collage on paper 38 X 50" (now on view at Gallery North Star in Grafton, VT)
In order to make the collage, I had to make the watercolor paintings. In order to make the paintings, I had to make the drawings.
Image list:
Fawn's Leap Wide View, 38 X 50" collage on paper, framed $7500 Gallery North Star
Darkness in the Grotto, Sunlight Beyond" WC/gouache 16 X 12" Chace-Randall Gallery $1800.
Fawn's Leap, Midsummer Day, 14 X 10" Kiesendahl & Calhoun Gallery $1500.
Fawn's Leap, 16 X 12" pencil, Kentler International Drawing Space, Brooklyn $800.
Fawn's Leap, Rock Shadows, 7 X 5" collection of the artist NFS
I rely completely on the drawings and watercolors to make my collages-- I do not use photographs. Drawing is the most essential element in my work. I pin up color xeroxes of my paintings on the studio wall so that the flying gunk from my messy collages won't ruin a good painting. And did I learn that the easy way? oh no not me.
I now glue up the collages onto Belgian linen over stretchers. I use all manner of paint and drawing materials freely as I create surfaces exploring sunlight, shadow, rock, water, trees and foliage. I have recently learned how to get to a new vocabulary of textures by printing at the Womens Studio Workshop in Rosendale, NY. I won a residency there last November and I'm easy company so they invited me back for February '09. I hope to be using their presses again next year to help me replicate the color and texture of Vermont. The collage works are the culmination of my explorations. I put everything I've got into them. I draw, paint, print, glue, scrape, peel, glaze, and glaze over in pursuit of the finished image until I get there. Sooner or later, easy road or hard road, I get there.
1 comment:
..."hard roads" are by far the most interesting. Those are where we get to say, creation is 10% inspiration, and 90% blood, sweat, and tears.
AND, I can't wait to see one of your works in the flesh. I am so very curious, especially after this post.
BTW, I notice below this comment box, that the word I need to type in is "undrab" -- quite applicable here, I must say!
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