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3 Jalapeños

I’ve been seeking a change from the black and white of ink drawings — perhaps inspired by all the late season color in the garden? …but also knowing I’ve let watercolor sketching slide for a while. I have mountains to scale in learning about color and before I will feel comfortable; to say it’s humbling is an understatement.  Yet the pure beauty of transparent color is irresistible and, for the moment anyway, I’m enjoying having such a steep challenge to sink my teeth into.

Jalapeños1

3 Jalapeños, 1     ©2017 Elizabeth Fram

What I think I appreciate most is the aspect of walking the very thin line between an illusion of control and recognition that, especially at this early point, results are more reliant upon serendipity than skill. Right now I would say I’m at 25% control, 75% serendipity – and that may be overly generous. But I trust with time and practice I can begin to see the numbers move in the opposite direction.

Jalapeños 2

3 Jalapeños, 2     ©2017 Elizabeth Fram

Charles Reid continues to be my go-to guide. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my mother-in-law for introducing me to his work years ago.
What living artist has taught you the most?

Jalapeños, 3

3 Jalapeños, 3     © 2017 Elizabeth Fram

These 3 sketches were from yesterday. I learn a lot through repetition and variation. And it’s interesting to see how my feelings about each has changed with a bit of distance and a good night’s sleep. Converting to black and white in Photoshop is also a good learning tool.

While the washes were drying I did the Shibori stitching for 3 small new pieces. Stay tuned for the dyeing results next week.

The Conversation Begins

My artistic journey began so long ago I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in color and the pure joy of making things. What an exhilarating, frustrating, humbling challenge it is to push beyond inspiration, striving to re-frame and translate a subject in such a way so as learn about it in a completely new light.

HindsightHindsight   32.5″ x 24″    Textile Collage   ©2006 Elizabeth Fram

But nobody wants a one-way discussion. Shouting from the edge of a canyon to hear your own voice bounce back at you may be fun…initially. But a reverberating echo can’t replace the depth of a conversation with another person who brings an entirely different set of experiences to the table. There is great satisfaction when a part of your vision breaks free and connects with another individual.

Making art is, by itself, a satisfying and affirming process.  Yet without the consideration and engagement of viewers, it is merely looking into the mirror.

FracturedThoughtFractured Thought   41″ x 50″   Textile Collage   ©2006 Elizabeth Fram

Admittedly, some exchanges are short-lived; there’s not much to say beyond the facts — and that’s the end of it.

But one of the things I most appreciate about Art is that it begins a dialogue that can wend its way indefinitely through time and space, surviving the vagaries of style and politics, involving emotions and intellect alike, touching a viewer through both personal history and hopes for the future. While the actual discussion may seem to stop, the ideas engendered live on and invariably pop to the surface for further consideration as times and circumstances change.

What could be more engaging?

LingeringCommentFractured Thought   41″ x 50″   Textile Collage   ©2006 Elizabeth Fram

Robert Genn, author of The Painter’s Keys, was devoted to his work while generating just such conversations through his twice-weekly e-mail letters. Although sadly he passed away this year, his daughter Sara continues his legacy to the benefit of those of us who came to depend upon the food for thought he regularly served.

As I begin this blog, I’d like to think of it as the start of an on-going discourse,  sharing what I am working on and the thoughts that are working on me, with the hope of beginning a conversation of sorts that will be worthy of those of you who take the time to visit me here.

I welcome your thoughts. The link for comments is at the beginning of each post.