Looking at the date of the last post, I see it is just days before the Governor declared the state of emergency due to pandemic. Regarding the stay-at-home order the artist part of me said, OK, no problem. I started cleaning. The business owner part, with 6 restaurants at that, not so much. In fact, along with the rest of the world, a total lightening strike to all that we had done and known and thought about in terms of the future. Gone. Pizza, however, proves its’ magic once again. We were able to pivot immediately and stay open and so far we’ve survived. Much changed, but open for business, people coming to work, baking and delivering pizza to people. With all our collective might we deal with unprecedented challenges every day. Two days ago a man fell into and onto the floor of our Pearl restaurant, hurt badly but not bleeding (rubber bullets?) then fifteen police officers converged around him and they all left. Our already traumatized staff took the rest of the night off.
Along with many artist friends, I have not been much use in the studio. Though I spend entire days in my studio (doubles as a yoga spot. I move the furniture every day), I can’t seem to concentrate for long and flit from forgetful thing to garden work to cleaning house. Sweeping my front porch, something I have never done on the regular. I feel lethargic, tired, dry on ideas and asking, what can I make (besides masks and face shields - been doing that), what might be of any interest or importance to anyone, what might help get us, or just little me, through a disaster like this Spring of 2020? After 10 weeks in quarantine, a trickle of picture making returned. It is the Guardian Angel series, now called, Guardians and Guides; the figures that populate, that seep out of the air and onto the paper.
I have been disturbed for a few years now by the pen and ink process I use to draw/paint. Because the process is reductive, the space around the figure becomes defined, shaping the figure. I guess it’s the classic figure/field tussle. In any case, the figures end up clean paper, that is, white as the paper. Does this make them all white people? Is it possible for the black and white media to transcend literalness? I am sure that can be/has been done, but I am also sure that I am not that good an artist. The possibility of my figures being read as white makes me shudder and keeps me from sharing the images. Use colored paper, people say. Generally, I can’t stand colored paper. Plus the paper white is the brightness I need for the vibrancy of lines and to shine through the ink.
A couple days ago I started painting the figures in an array of brown to blacks. I’m working on those pieces now. Yes, I am afraid I may offend someone. I am doing the only thing I know to do.