June 25, 2024
Making Those Moves
Three more bits from Bianca Bosker’s memoir, Get the Picture:
I knew to pay attention to artists’ decisions.
Only I still didn’t fully grasp
what those decisions added up to.
I’d developed a sense for what
artists do to an artwork,
but not why they made those moves.
I dipped the brush
into the black paint,
stopped breathing,
then brought the brush
to the canvas
and pulled it sideways.
The painting was more ambiguous,
and I could see how
that made it far more interesting.
Well, I keep making decisions, holding my breath, bringing the brush to the page. Thus far, laying down paint in February; making ink, watercolor, and pastel pencil moves on vacation in early June; now manifesting collage, veiling, and mark-making decisions back at home …
8 x 8″; acrylic, , ink, watercolor, pastel pencil, and collage on paper
2024
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9 responses to “Making Those Moves”
I don’t know quite what I think of this piece in its current iteration, though I’m happy, in my ongoing quest to cultivate experimental boldness, to have ‘brought the brush to the canvas’ after having ‘stopped breathing.’ You were my direct inspiration here, MaryAnn, with ICAD 21 when you knew to provide contrast and a focal point and were able to do so magnificently. Thx!
Bon voyage today : )
Lola, you might enjoy reading Bosker’s memoir. She shines light on many things in the art world that are way outside my experience (and likely to remain so!) but she has expanded my repertoire for engaging with art and asking questions and musing.
Some of the whys for the changes in this piece between my previous post and this one: to honor my gut feeling that the piece needed something else; to play with establishing a focal point; to give attention to contrast and value …
Sheila! Oh! Your seeing saguaro cactus here, and teaching me a bit about saguaros to boot, gives me a new perspective on this piece. Thank you!
The shapes remind me of young saguaro cactus. They do not grow arms until they are 50 to 90 years old. I find that fascinating. 
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