minimalist

15 foot 7 inch installation

In this exhibition Marguerita Hagan's single-cell beings of Le Mer dance with the depth measuring of Stella Untalan's Soundings drawings. In the depths Stella measures these creatures are lively and magical contributing to the circle of life on our planet. The exhibition can be seen by appointment. 

 

Soundings by Stella Untalan

A look back at Being in the Woods. (includes video)

For my most recent exchibition I created a series of drawings that are driven not by results but by process. Each of these drawings is made using the same ink, the same pen, the same unrelenting process. The results reveal themselves to be reminders of her meandering walks and joyful runs in the woods. The straight trunks making blurred lines that suggest motion, space, and time — a DNA image of being in the woods.

drawing : square paynes gray dip

This morning I opened a package in my snail mail to find some handmade square sheets of paper. Shortly later I made this drawing.

I had never used this ink, this pen, or this paper before. Difficult drawing, Interesting results. 

The way that the small sheet and all the edges come into play when placed on a larger surface make the deckle feel like a drawn edge.

In the Studio : filling a page with lines

The difficulty is in motivation. How to get started drawing when I was stuck? This almost never happens. Yesterday I was able to get started in the studio again. I had an art play date. Artgal Amy Ralston brought some supplies over and the two of us just experimented. Every once in a while we would chat, stop for a cup of coffee, or show eachother what we had made so far. I took to filling this page with lines — feeling the movement, playing with gaps and patterns. I was able to get something going.

It takes not being too serious and eliminating the expectations of outcome.

In the Studio : the squares so far

I've had to fight for time in the studio lately.

The good news is I'm getting there and I'm making drawings. I have a series of colored squares I have been working on. They can stand alone, work in tandem, or be arranged in groups in multiples of two. These are in a subset series of measurement drawings that are long and short.

This is what was on the wall last wednesday. I've drawn on a third square but I'm not sure that it is finished. I have a feeling that it is done but waiting is good for clarity. I have a studio day on Saturday so I'll be able to reassess. 

In the Studio : February

Trying to get something started.

I cut some sheets of Yupo to size. Working on seeing what happens when I make a series of about 40 drawings and arrange them in a grid. These are the first two in the series.

I'm about to work on two new pieces within the same framework. I never know what this ink will do. I haven't done any of these monochrome measurement drawings with magenta before. So much is new in drawing and experience. Off to make some more.

Ascertain acquired for collection.

During Philadelphia Open Studio Tours in October this year I decided to show some of my newest drawings. This included six ink drawings on Yupo synthetic paper that I made in the lead up to my show in June.

I'm so pleased to say that one of these drawings Ascertain has been purchased by Debroah Ward for her collection.

Debroah Ward serves on the Board of Vox Populi Gallery, currently as president. She is an avid arts supporter and collector of local Philadelphia artists.

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - minimalist