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Formation and Flux Series
I began this series with the intention of exploring
nature's unconscious and instinctive ability to form and change
over time. Attempting to expose the evolutionary process of
the structure of a seashell has led me on a fascinating journey.
What is the smallest starting point for a shell's formation?
What guides the twists and turns that produce its spiraling
shape and soft features? What processes is it subject to while
undergoing such dramatic build-ups? Depicting various stages
of development in time and space, while combining traditional
and non-traditional drawing materials has allowed me to examine
these questions and, in the process, represent the sublime
characteristics I encountered.
What started as an investigation of seashells
has led to further studies of the natural world, including
both flora and fauna. Relating these forms and researching
their qualities has provided additional evidence of certain
commonalities in nature that suggest some master plan.
The techniques I use to create my work mimic
my internal questions about the concepts of formation, evolution,
and the passing of time. I usually begin these works with
representational sketches of the object -- a practice long
held in history for a deeper understanding of a subject. I
then recreate an abstracted image from these drawings in my
studio. In the large ink and graphite drawings, vigorous mark
making captures the energy of creation. The rendering of transparency
accelerates the slow process of growth into one moment in
time. I address these ideas more directly in the drawings
on Duralar, a translucent, archival type of mylar. The process
of layering several sheets of Duralar and altering the surfaces
with drawing, painting, cutting, and collage, becomes a metaphor
for the development and transformation of a shell, plant,
or animal.
The intersection of scientific knowledge, anatomical
studies, and creative practices has brought forth the series
Formation and Flux. Through this group of images I hope viewers
will query their surroundings, themselves, and the invisible
forces of life while simultaneously enjoying the tangible
elements of the surface techniques in the work.
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