Friday, August 31, 2007

Another Take on Things


The great thing about art is that it makes you look at everyday things with a new perspective. Plein air painters see swirls of color and light in a vista; sculptors visualize in 3 dimensions; collage artists find form in combining everyday objects.

This printmaking things has me looking at scenery and trying pare it down to the most bare essentials of black and white. I've found that, at least at my skill level, that some details are better left of the print and that simplicity speaks loudest.

That's kinda my calling anymore. Paring down all the 'stuff' in my life and focusing on bringing out the best of those elements that are left such as family, friends, creativity, health, and peace.

This linocut is an attempt to show the front range of our local mountains. If you are saying to yourself "Gee, why'd he add an arrowhead?" it's because there is an honest to goodness geological feature on the mountain that looks like one. It's about 250' long and it's comprised of exposed granite, soil, and scrub brush. Interestingly, it points down to natural hot springs. Native Mojave Indians believed it was placed there by the Great Spirit as a guide to bring them to a holy place.

2 comments:

K Hutchinson said...

I'm so thankful I get to see all these beautiful mountains that you are doing since I have not seen any IRL! I love the way the you can see how much thought and care you have put into each cut! I think that it is an awesome print!

Unknown said...

Magnificent!! Keep it up!