Friday 24 September 2010

Subconscious Musing

I've been doing this kind of thing for many years now but only recently have I made it a regular, daily, happening, and also dramatically changed the scale at which I am musing on. Previously it was always small "thumbnails" but, inspired by the daily emaki studies of Mayako Nakamura, a young, gifted student from Tokyo, in Japan, I have taken to make my own musings A1 size. This allows much more scope for the experience and memory inherent in the blood and bones and muscles of my arm to come into play.

The idea is, instead of launching into trying to paint the usual visual reality straightaway when entering the studio, I try to give expression to the other, unseen, reality first. Loosens up the arm and gets me thinking about abstract elements before I give them figurative descriptions:

Acrylics and black Neocolour pastel on paper, A1.

When I take my musing as far as I can at the time I then stand back and can often see the potential for solidifying these feelings into something more tangible and what arises is a painting like this:

Mixed Media on primed board, 42x61cm.

It may be a "road less travelled" but I know there is a road ahead somewhere along this grassy path, and where it leads is the adventure of my life.

7 comments:

Melinda said...

I'm glad that you are traveling and giving yourself time and opportunity to listen to your subconscious mind. Your work has a strong signature and expression that proves you are in touch. Try to keep on the grass if you're barefoot, but watch out for the burning sands!

Sheila Vaughan said...

Interesting David - I once did some large "meditative" charcoal drawings which I was pleased with but when I tried to develop paintings from them they failed altogether. This on the contrary works well and I really like the resulting painting. It has gathered energy rather than lost energy (which happened with mine). Good stuff!

daviddrawsandpaints said...

I tempered the burning sands, Melinda, with many dips in the Mediterranean and swimming with fishes (little nibblers!)

At the moment I don't think I really know my mind but will keep probing...it's sure to reveal itself sometime?

daviddrawsandpaints said...

To be honest, Shiela, instead of creating these b&w Subconscious Musings then try to recreate a finished piece referring to them I now believe it is probably better to use colour and do the musing directly, first time..that's where the real energy lies.
I won't stop doing these SM's every morning as a way of jump-starting the day since the confidence they give me is invaluable.
But, with confidence, I want to be able to paint from my subconscious right there and then. No inbetweens.

Thank you so much for commenting on this - it's good to hear what you think about it.

daviddrawsandpaints said...

One day, Sheila, I will spell your name correctly.

Dyslexia apparently accompanies deep sea diving.

jun n. said...

Nice stuff...

daviddrawsandpaints said...

Good to hear from you Jun_n, how's things in Toronto?