Hangin’ Out With Henri / January 11, 2024

January 11, 2024

Hangin’ Out With Henri

I like to imagine I’m hanging out with Henri at his place, every horizontal surface layered with painted papers, cut-out shapes, and scraps. We chat in a relaxed way about this and that, work companionably in long stretches of silence, narrate process and observation to ourselves periodically as we investigate collage configurations and compositions. Every now and then one or the other of us mutters irritably under our breath or exclaims aloud … What the HECK! Why can’t I get this composition to work? Not to mention this camera that just WILL not capture the colors and contrast here.

So, yeah, can’t seem to get an image of mini-Matisse #5 that feels true to what I see with my eye. Oh well.

Tried a different background this time, doing my pre-game warmup journaling with a worn out gold (do not be deceived; it is not green) marker. Its being nearly out of ink gave some background texture and interest without dominating, in keeping with what I was exploring vis a vis use of negative space.

This Other Life Where He Inherited the Farm
~2 x 2″; paper cut-outs and ink on art journal page
collage
2024 

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1. 

   Joyful Puttering

   January 11, 2024 at 7:16 pm

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   What fun to be hanging out with Henri….even if it’s just in your mind.

   I’m a “what the heck” gal myself….more often than not.

   I do love these chunky little shapes in mM #5.

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   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      January 11, 2024 at 7:32 pm

      Edit

      I read part of an article about Henri the other day, looked at one of the accompanying photos of him and suddenly felt such a timeless connection with him, could truly see us hanging out, chatting, snipping away at paper, making art together. Joyful puttering with a buddy : )

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2. 

   jkendra63

   January 11, 2024 at 8:54 pm

   Edit

   I love all of the directions you go with your art and the way that you write. You know exactly how to choose/use your words.

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   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      January 12, 2024 at 5:25 am

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      Joje, thank you! I am so happy to have taken up painting and letting it lead me hither and yon. So much fun, so challenging, so nourishing. And words and wordsmithing have had me in their thrall even longer—also fun, challenging, and nourishing : )

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3. 

   Simone

   January 15, 2024 at 7:15 am

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   How wonderful to move around the pieces of collage paper. I love the feeling of trying out, tuning in, turning around, and then finally feel: ‘Click’. Yes, that’s it.

   Enjoy your experiments so much! Really stimulating for my own current journey.

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   1. 

      Dotty Seiter

      January 15, 2024 at 10:21 am

      Edit

      Clearly, I share your sense of wonder and pleasure in the feeling of trying out, tuning in, turning around, and then finally feeling the click of confirmation. I had no idea, going into these shape-experiments, that they would bring me such joy and so much learning, nor that they would stimulate your own current art journey : )