Gignesthai, becoming....Monoprints, Artist Books

Blue's in the studio today

I'm still playing with printing, I am working on two little books-both re-writes of 'The Two Queens'.  Which are two found books that were originally published in 1874.  I am re-writing them by finding the words I want to keep on the page.  I have been doing this "finding" in different ways for a while, I think because it stimulates new connections and creative relationships that may pre-exist or not?  The prints below are very simple mono-prints....they could be anything I suppose, in their simplicity they have so much possibility of becoming something.  I am thinking of beginnings and ends-but that seems like a nonsense concept, how can there be beginning and end as two separate objects or concepts-since they are one and the same and really everything is flux.

Today I was reading some about Heraclitus an ancient philosopher and he used the word Gignesthai, which I had to look up.  The word is Greek for "becoming" and the word Genesis derives from it...then I started reading about Genesis and I love how science and philosophy use similar language for different applications.....la..la..la....and then I ended on what was the beginning?

Whole: Handmade Artist Book, Bound and Mono Printed

 I am so happy I made this little book today!  I remembered many old skills: Mono printing, ripping paper & sewing a binding.  I decided to try my hand at these old techniques in preparation for my next creativity workshop.  I have been continuously inspired and led to materials and concepts in the process of teaching.  I think thinking in terms of teaching is an other form of sharpening ones own knowledge, because you must share your insight...and the word insight includes "in" implying inward sight...but teaching is changing that to an outward expression with an aim to inspire insight in others, this process of turning something inside out helps heighten the original understanding and perhaps deepen it still with new insight!

Still Life; Under the apple tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still Life; Under the apple tree in the shadows.

36" x 48"

Mixed Medium on Paper

I did this painting/drawing yesterday, you know how I felt? 

I felt terrified.  I realize that every time I begin something artistic, it feels like jumping in to the deep end of a dark pool without swimming skills.  I resist and I am scared, every time!!! (Especially when there are longer periods between each dive.)  In the moments of creating I have seconds of joy, bliss, peace and other moments full of faithlessness, fear, self-loathing, and mostly the darkness of the unknown.  Yes, perhaps it's like I jumped in to the very deep dark water with a small flashlight on my head that as I spin downward, uncertain I will come up, my headlight flashes for moments and I see something, but it is still unknown.  When I do find my way back up, I am tired and then I begin the 'assessing' of what I saw or didn't see and how were my swimming skills?  The doubt that I should ever try again, the feeling of not really liking what I pulled up?  Wanting to throw it away as unvaluable and replace it with the more familiar.  

But......I will have patience.  I will honor my curiosity with courage-and fucking jump again.

Second Nature

A new piece of work will be shown at the Tivoli NY Artist Co-op for their next show titled 'Second Nature'.  My good friend and artist Gretchen Kelly who is a member of this co-op invited me to participate as a guest artist.  I am intrigued by the concept of 'Second Nature' and am happy to be included.  The show opens tomorrow evening from 6-8pm, please do come if your in the area!  Below is my statement for the work.

Dawn Breeze, 2012

Second Nature, originally Latin secundum naturam, "according to nature".

I am coming in to my accordance with nature; I am coming in to my authentic and original nature as a person and as an artist.  I am coming in to my innate self through my second nature, through my artistic process. What is this?  What does this becoming look like?

Oneness.  My artwork is a communion with nature; it is a collaboration that is not a depiction of nature but rather a shared experience with nature that culminates with a creation.  However, I consider the art to begin at the same point of ending in a constant state of transformation and flux.  My art is my experience of life and my art practice is my second nature.

To watch ‘Daydream’ in process go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEqYBVpve00

 “We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn…It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful, but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of the arts.”-Henry David Thoreau Walden

Summer Rose

Summer Rose

72" x 60"

Acrylic, Oil, Kimono, Blanket, Flowers, Yarn, Oil Crayon

 

I completed another painting, which like the last one I showed I actually started 2 years ago.  I am very pleased with this painting and am having a wonderful experience with its large size.  Paintings this large have many impressions to feel and observe.  There is the first impression at a distance that begins to change as you move closer to the painting.  When you sit (or stand) and stare at the work,  it starts shifting as you become engaged in certain particulars of the painting.  With each area of focus new emotions arise, there are so many layers to become absorbed in.

 (Just to show you the scale)

Yesterday I visited the clothing installation-the grass is beginning to grow and buds are forming.  It was interesting to finish this painting and then go see my installation becuase I saw a relationship to the colors and motion between the painting and the installation.  I think we are always working the same investigation unconsiously.  We repeat ourselves in different forms and each variance perhaps holds a clue to a deeper understanding to questions we are not even aware we are asking.

Below are pictures of my installation and reflections yesterday.

 

 (Reflections in the stream)

(Detail of painting)

(My Sunny helper)

Bright Wishes

Oh, take me, take me, take me!
With no other place I'd rather be,
I come to thee.


Me a small giant,
crushing a million lives as I lay.
Here under weightless infinity I pray,
watching your clouds tuck me into sleep.

Eyes closed, dreaming further then I can see,
your wet breath kissing me.


The sun opens the lids of the sky, and shines on.
Bright wishes for a new Dawn.

Breath

Breath is a small visual journal of my daily meditations in Iceland this past Summer. When I was at the BAER Artist residency I devised a series of daily rituals that enabled me to move through my intense fears and insecurities. Breath was one of these. Breath is a small journal that I kept, each page has one daily watercolor and one word or sentence that seemed to me the essence of my focus for that particular day. It was the last meditation before I left my chamber and entered the outside world, venturing off into my art making. Although this book can be considered art, I consider it more my art underpinnings, the intimate hygiene I needed in order to breathe and create.

This book will be included in a unique exhibition, the weekend of November 5th.

bookMARKs: self-published photo-based printed matter

The show will be installed in Light Work's Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery, located in the Schine Student Center of Syracuse University. The Schine Student Center is the location of the SPE Conference's portfolio reviews and we will be sharing the Menschel Gallery with the exhibition "En Foco / In Focus: Selections From The Permanent Collection". This exhibition has been put together by photographer and curator; Carlos Loret de Mola
The opening for the event is November 5th from 1:30-3:30 The regular hours will be those of the Museum.
It is my pleasure to share this humble and precious little book with you, it is for sale here and will be on my website as well. The price of the book is $25 including shipping and taxes. The book is a small softcover book with a total of 16 illustrated meditations. I am taking orders now and will be able to ship by the second week of November. You can use paypal here and include the qty. and your shipping address.

fragile and strong

On my walk yesterday I tried to sink my feet into the asphalt-admitedly it did look a little wavy when I looked down, maybe next time I'll go further?

I was so taken and inspired by the incredible force and strength of this fragile plant, to have the audacity to push the asphalt aside and grow up towards the light. A plant that is so fragile that it squishes and breaks between my fingers at the slightest tug, yet it's strong enough to break stone?

It made me think how the desire, the innate desire to grow drew the will of this one seed up-up-up through the darkness, against reason and probability into another universe. I'm sure many seeds where tarred over and just a few pushed up through the asphalt, what made them unique?

And how is it that I know this plant is fragile and I can break it and I know the asphalt is too strong for me to break?

Maybe what we think we know is what limits us?

Found: My existence

Me looking through my final installation at Baer; "Found: My existence"

I just posted about this installation on my Iceland blog www.eylenda.blogspot.com I recommend visiting the site to see more pictures and information. It is one of my favorite pieces I've ever made!

I'm back in NY. Still swirling. I have lots of work left to complete-mostly writing and photography. I am wondering how do I integrate a life changing experience into the "normal" I had before? Its funny to observe how I am reluctant to open back to my life here, just as I was reluctant to open to the newness of Iceland. I suppose we are always in battle with life's constant: Change. Perhaps with continued experience change will become welcome with every breath. I do still feel madly enchanted and in love with nature and today on my first walk since Iceland, I found magic here as well.

Me during my final studio presentation.

or come to Sicily!!!

Two art exhibits this week on two different Volcanic Islands. I will be at my exhibit in Iceland and Gianni & Sunny will be here in Sicily for me:) Which are you coming to?