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Weaving Water
Rivers running wildly over rocks, ripples of
water circulating in ponds, puddles forming and deforming,
the constant gurgle of a small spring -- these mysterious
and energetic struggles in nature are the motivation for my
series Weaving Water. This group of pencil and charcoal gouache
drawings are a visual expression of the transience experienced
when interacting with the powerful force of water.
This series began with a visit to the Garfield
Park Conservatory in Chicago where I was inspired to create
some realistic images of the dramatic scene found in the botanical
gardens. In my studio, these sketches turned into large drawings
that seemed to grow a life of their own. One stroke of the
pencil led to another, the mark-making felt natural and immediate
-- almost automatic. At times I became so in-tuned to the
image that it was perfectly harmonic to create the next line.
The cycles of nature -- life and death, regeneration,
evolution, and time -- all inform this series of work. Weaving
Water speaks about movement, formation, and an instinctual
intention to live. Though the drawings reflect the imagery
of water in various environments, there is a definite human
touch as well. As each droplet joins another to form a river
or soaks into the earth to feed botanical life, a similar
experience occurs in humanity. An invisible energy seems to
drive us onward, helping us to find purpose and meaning in
life. The process of documenting the sometimes rapid changes
in nature, especially in water, bring to question the cycles
of human life. What influences our path? Where does our energy
come from? And why do we feel such a strong connection to
nature, yet at times feel so different?
In my practice, the materials and technique
used are just as important as the final drawing. The use of
a monochromatic color choice is very purposeful, as I feel
it provides a more direct interpretation of the image -- simplifying
and yet, at the same time, intensifying the artwork. Values
are quickly discerned, though with the many, many marks used
to make one piece, the image isn't immediately clear. Time
with the piece allows viewers to slowly interpret the image
-- like solving a picture with their eyes; following curvilinear
marks in and out, over and under, until an awareness of water
and rocks is seen. Water has form, yet it is also formless.
These drawings attempt to reconcile this duality as I investigate
the line between realism and abstraction.
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