My visual work comes from a sense of personal pleasure.
The structure I follow is this: be joyful in making.
Splattic
November 2021
To John Borstel
The person who rescued my visual art making
My elder, my mentor, and above all, my dear friend
One of the best gifts I've received in the past several months was a big folder of collage material tucked away in my friend John's attic. There were science magazines, religious tracts, ads for porn mags, dozens of delicately patterned papers, even an old toilet paper roll wrapper. Truly the best toybox I could ask for.
Collaging is such a delight for my overactive brain. I think of it as a collaboration between my delight in composition, and the innate artistry of random patterns, images, colors and words. Each collage takes me about 20 minutes and I never know what I'm going to make when I sit down.
If you would watch me making, you would hear me laugh every time I put one of these collages together. At a basic human level, it is pleasing to play with colors and patterns and meaning and randomness. Cutting with scissors is an act of yogic relaxation.
These pieces are a letter of joy to you, John. You nudge me forward in my artmaking so simply and wonderfully. You've taught me what it means to keep a practice, to make without agenda, to chase the pleasure in art. I love you and my creative self thanks you.
A New Neighbor
All That is Precious
Down the Block
Exhibit
Inner Voices
Keep Out
Navigator
Risen
Sea Twins
Sleight of Hand
There Goes the Neighborhood
Vitals
Vacancy
Small Daily Drawings
When I first wanted to get back into drawing, I asked a friend if he would help.
His advice: draw every day, no matter what.
I now have hundreds of small drawings that I put up, give away, archive, or use in other pieces.
What delight!
Questions and Answers Project
In October, 2020, I asked 40 people to each send me one question. Any question they wanted.
And I would answer it by making a piece of art.
The project was born from a feeling of isolation during the pandemic - and my own practice of learning how to ask for help when I need it.
Each piece is a collaboration between two people: the person who titled it (by asking) and me, who answered it (by making)
When did we get here?
How do we get through this?
What if we could un-invent things?
What happens with the energy you send out comes back to you?
What makes you pay attention to something you're reading?
What's the smallest thing you've ever loved?
What's your favorite outdoor experience?
When does it matter?
Why was the lantern bug considered an invasive species?
Where did your grandmother live?
Mandala Practice
There are times I love drawing with precision tools and times I love drawing freehand.
I drew these simple freehand mandalas each day for about a month.
I’m not sure of my definition of prayer, but this is close.
Photo Conversation
When one of my dear friends moved far away, we decided to stay in touch using a photo conversation.
Each week I would send her a photo collage, and she would send me one.
Sometimes mutual artmaking feels better than any words could.
