Looking back...

When teaching my watercolor creativity class, I wanted my students to explore gesture painting, without using drawing to define a form.  In creating an example, I realized the more I worked, the darker the painting became.  I kept working for awhile, and when I stepped back to analyze my progress, I saw that there were powerful forces at play.  I let the painting rest for further thought.  What I decided was that the Travis County jury on which I was serving was having a significant effect on my feelings as they manifested in my daily reality.  Emotions are a vital source of inspiration for the artist.  Thus began my journey into my 'Zen' series of paintings, where I have attempted to define these sensibilities, starting at their most basic level, giving my visual interpretation of their varied states.  This is the painting that began this exploration...

Tolerance

There's a fine line between information absorbed and that which is rejected in the process of finding one's level of tolerance in a particular situation.  I have attempted to visually depict that line of careful, conscious discrimination.

As a part of this process, I chose to use Chinese characters representing the emotion depicted within the painting.  A member of the jury on which I served had grown up in China, and was willing to calligraph a series of words for me.  Most of this series includes one of these.

Strict theological definitions aside, I see a 'state of grace' as living in enlightened peace and harmony with yourself, those around you, and the universe.  In contrast to the process of tolerance, I wanted to explore grace.  I see tolerance as an analytical process of discrimination, of paring down influences and ideas in order to get to what is 'truth'.  While grace could be defined as the ultimate level of tolerance, it encompasses so much more.  I imagine grace as being imbued with an almost blinding white light of pure clarity.  White light, to artists, is where all color originates.  As a colorist, this is truly where it all begins.

Zen : Grace


Zen : Grace II


Zen : State of Grace

Zen : Obstacles to Grace

After completing these four, I went on to give color and form to other emotional states.  I've often thought of a blessing as a gift, and felt this exploration was a gift.  The associated feelings of delight, joy and laughter followed naturally.  You will note lighter, brighter colors and forms come into play.

Zen : Blessing

Zen : Delight


Zen : Joy


Zen : Laughter

Authenticity is something toward which I have strived all of my life.  As I grew up, flashes of it would surface as points of enlightened thought.  While I would never deny the positive influences of life in a small town, I have chosen not to be limited by them, allowing myself to be open to different ways of thinking.  It's all about balance.  When I began to give Authenticity form, I specifically opted for a circular form in vibrant color.

Zen : Authenticity

In my mind, 'plenty' is synonymous with 'abudance'.  I gave it form by using the sun spiral .  It happens to be a symbol I personally like a great deal.  To me the pink color is symbolic of life-giving force.

Zen : Plenty

Strength is a quality that can be used for both negative and positive outcome.  Beyond the physical connotation, I believe that true strength comes from within, and is inherently a force for good.  Hence the value of strength of character, which can include loyalty;  strength of spirit, relating to a state of grace;  and strength of purpose, providing an individual with resolve. 

Zen : Strength

Relating closely to the qualities of strength is the concept of a hero.  We've all known heroes in our lives, whether everyday heroes or those from our history books.  They all have great lessons to share with us if we're open and paying attention.  In composing this painting, I considered several elements, including T'ai chi ch'uan (which I see not only a martial art, but a visual art form), as well as depictions I have seen of ancient Chinese warriors.  This image is one with which I really struggled, but I can see that, especially in this case, struggle is appropriate.

Zen : Hero

In closing, I want to be clear that I'm not in any way an expert in Zen philosophy.  However, I admire the qualities I have found in reading, and in other sources of information relating to Zen thought.  The simplicity of it, reducing concepts to their essence in order to better understand them, as well as myself, appeals to me.

Less is truly more.