looking back

Yesterday in the studio I decided to dig out some big old drawings I had made as preparatory sketches for the first wall mural I ever did, way back in early 2004. 

 

 

They are probably the clunkiest, most garish things I've ever done.  I collaged bits of fabric and paper onto them, and I deliberately used materials with which I have absolutely no finesse, like acrylic paint and cray pas.  It was a good way to get the ideas down without worrying about the finished product.  I have no idea if I ever blogged about that first mural, and I'm too lazy to go back and check, so here it is, possibly again.

It's hard to believe that such a muted palette came from these crazy colorful drawings! 

I also dug up this unfinished graphite drawing, which also found its way into a mural project.

I guess I would call it a foxglove-robin.  It became part of this mural, which I mentioned before, here:

All of this is to say that I am looking back in an attempt to move forward with my work.  The common thread running through all these images seems to be scale.  Clearly, I need to work large... and yet, I keep making very small collages!  Maybe, through some sort of miracle (or hard work, though I'm hoping for lightning to strike in the studio), they will meet in the middle.

Comments

[katrina]

gorgeous. i love the muted earthy colors w/ your striking images. funny, as a new reader of your blog i had no idea you used to work on such a large scale! fun to know.

[katrina]

gorgeous. i love the muted earthy colors w/ your striking images. funny, as a new reader of your blog i had no idea you used to work on such a large scale! fun to know.

[lisa s]

i love you working big. on the wall. so much.

[wendy]

oh the muted wall is awesome!!

[Amy]

amy, i saw that installation as MassArt long ago! before i "met" you online recently. i forgot! its great to see it again. i spent a long time in that room and truly loved that installation!

[Esti]

The mural is amazing!

I've always liked large scale pieces, and this's been such a good discovery. :)

[nina]

the mural is truly fantastic -- and I love that you can work on small and giant scales. Thanks for sharing :)

[kimberley]

As usual, i loved being taken through your process...so interesting. Also so intriguing that you would use materials you have "no finesse" with to get you to a finished product you weren't too worried about. cray-pas are so weird.
love the finished mural!

[Elsita]

Wow Wow wOW!!!
All these pieces are amazing!!!!
Elsita :)

[nature morph]

You are all too kind! Thanks so much, I really appreciate the feedback. And Amy, that is amazing that you actually saw that mural in person! Small world...