The Empty Space

Something in Nothing Epiphany # 16

Kimonos are made to fold up to small flat shapes

Sliding doors create multi space options - sleeping rooms become meeting spaces.

Economy of words evoke the imagination’s response in haiku.

The empty space begs the entrance of the viewer.

In Japan only 15% of the land can be effectively used.

Where does this take your thoughts about visual expression?

With these reminisces in mind, this delving back into the intuited knowledge gleaned while living there, I think about how these ‘feelings’ progress my visual work. I do not have words to describe the integration of visceral experiences that transcend my own existence, but I know they are powerful both in the ideas they engender and in recognizing there is never ever one way of doing something. We are not binary creatures. We have the capacity to think in greys … and color.

The art world often seems very binary to me. I could not accept some of its givens. I wanted breath in my work as I knew it would be about hope and celebration of what can be. Asian composition goals are totally different from western ones. Here composition theory tells us to have a focal point so the eye can move around the picture plane. Thus we have our sweet spots to place that key element and use geometry to triangulate structure. The Asian artist has 3 goals. The first is engendering the response, “Oh I like that’ the second, “I want to visit” and finally if completely successful, the viewer wants to stay.

It is through the use of the empty space as well as the entering of painted elements to the picture from off the page, this is achieved. The un painted on space is as carefully crafted as the painted objects.

Another epiphany that evolved is the joyful task of integrating experiences into one’s painting journey. Some say art is a window into the soul of the artist. I do not agree that this is indeed always the case. It is bigger than anyone individual. The painter is bringing together both observations of the natural world and the human experience to reflect, comment on and/or celebrate something much bigger than any one person. Like haiku it is about a specific which is then taken to the universal and brought back to the particular. There is indeed something in nothing!

What of your learnings in life from outside of yourself do you bring to your art?