Hunters Point Naval Shipyard | San Francisco, CA
The artist’s hand: creating & created
Posted on Jan 25, 2012 in artwork | 6 comments
Since my last post, “Back to the drawing board”, I’ve had a lot of thoughts about drawing and how it relates to my studio practice. Yes, I drew a lot as a kid. And yes, most people would say I have a talent for it. I’ve had periods in my career when I consciously tried to integrate painting and drawing, but never felt that successful doing it. Nevertheless, I continue with both mediums, loving them each for different reasons.
Just the other day I read an interview with the artist Sarah Sze. It made quite an impression on me. She was expanding on the idea of what drawing really is. I’m including a very pertinent paragraph from the interview.
“I think of drawing in a much wider context — I think of it as the cursor on this page, the route you walk to work, the map I just googled for directions, or the print in the label in your t-shirt. I think of drawing as lines created in space, on the page, on a screen, or just mentally and emotionally to make sense of information or to convey information. So when artists draw it’s not about the page or the hand, it’s about connecting dots and the charting of complex information in whatever form that may take.” Sarah Sze
The expression ” line of thought” comes to mind when pondering Sarah’s quote. The “lines” that I’m in love with may seem like the work of an artist’s hand, but are really like shadows or reflections of everything around us.
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Hello Howard,
That was a beautifully written piece. And so true, so true. Drawing is for me pure joy. It is like navigating someplace you haven’t seen before.
thanks, Mary!
“conceptual drawing”. I like it.
hey there,
interesting read. right now, i’m exploring petroglyphs and drawing them…and in so doing, imagining their significance at the time they were made…what i come up with is informed by my discoveries of the place in which these petroglyphs exist, as well as my readings on the subject, as well as what people tell me who live near the sites. it’s all so fascinating and mysterious, and so your post for me is timely. in this case, we have lines on rocks made thousands of years ago….happy drawing : )
I’M REALLY A GREAT FUN OF YOUR WORK …MY CONGRAYTULATIONS FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE MADE ….I HAVE LEARNED A LOT JUST LOOKING YOUR ART ////THANKS A LOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MARIELLA
Thanks so much, Mariella! I really appreciate your support.