where earth meets sky

{Image from Walker Art Center, Minneapolis: "Whitney Garner, our Teen Programs Intern, permanently solidified her devotion to Kiki Smith’s Born."}

I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that I've done almost all of my artwork during my boys' naps for the last three years or so. Literally, between that and some evenings, most of my drawing and painting has been in short bursts, under the pressure of limited time. So these last few weeks have been an amazing transition; Zack has graduated with his MFA and we're between school years, cobbling together a living from freelance, shows and odd jobs. Which means that Zack stays with the boys often and I get to go to school for chunks of hours and work. This is an incredible luxury after the juggling method, but it also presents old familiar challenges. When you HAVE time, it's easier to dawdle, doodle and dabble. Some of this is totally necessary. You can't work at full speed all the time, and the contemplative side of the practice has been lacking in my life. But I'm surprised at how the quantity hasn't changed drastically, as now I allow for time to stand back from the pieces and mull them over rather than shuffling them back into a drawer at the sound of a cry. It'll be interesting to see if the work blossoms or suffers under the new arrangement. For my psyche, though, it's AWESOME.

One thought I'm having as I contemplate the current location and direction of the paintings is that there's an element of earthiness-- soiliness-- that I haven't been employing the way I have for more of my life's work. The stuff I'm doing now is very watery and airy. It has a light touch and a practiced hand, and more control. When I see things like those made by Anselm Kiefer, Antoni Tapies, Kiki Smith, Jannis Kounellis, etc. there's something in the work of these artists that I respond to year after year in a really strong way. I'm not ready to start collaging again, or smearing, but it's an interesting branch of engaging tactility and missing preciosity that I think I'll walk down again before too long.