Sunday, June 9, 2019

New Work: Endless Forms Most Beautiful

Endless Forms Most Beautiful
15" x 18" painted paper collage
This piece was based on a "leftover" scrap collage that I did a week or so ago. When I finish a piece there are generally lots of little bits and pieces leftover. Sometimes I use them in the next piece or sometimes they go into a small sketch. Every now and again there are enough shapes leftover to do a 8" x 10" practice collage. I liked the practice piece that I did so much that I decided to use it as the launching pad for a real piece.

I have to admit though that I deviated significantly from that practice sketch. I was trying to duplicate it and that just wasn't working for me. So, I put the sketch away and just forgot about copying it. I am so happy I did because I never would have made this piece otherwise. 

I am lucky too because I just happened to come across some images in the last several weeks that have generated some new ideas. Not fully formed ideas but fragments of things. I so much want to make more organic shapes and combine them with the rectilinear shapes. But how to do it? What could it look like? Well, there has to be source material for starters. I have recently been looking online at old anatomy charts and also perusing our anatomy reference book. I have looked at (and sketched) plenty of flowers over the course of the Spring and I have been sketching oddball animal shapes based on the exercises in Carla Sonheim's book, Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals. It is slow going but ideas are beginning to emerge. I don't want to jinx myself so I will leave it at that.

Incidentally, the title is based on a passage from Charles Darwin's book, On The Origin of Species. The full quote is referenced often and sums up nicely what Darwin felt about evolution and natural selection (not an easy topic to sum up)!

OK, thanks for reading. Leave a comment or send an email.
Libby





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2 comments:

  1. Debra DixonJune 19, 2019 at 6:17 PM

    I've looked at this piece on various social media sites a few times. Every time I am struck by the sexual/reproductive nature of it. I can't get away from that. I wonder what that means? :-)

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    Replies
    1. Libby FifeJune 23, 2019 at 9:27 AM

      I think it means it's a Debra thing!

      So, if you read above you will see that I had been looking at an old anatomy book and some anatomy charts. I am also trying to combine more organic shapes with rectilinear shapes. Your mind may be telling you something:)
      Libby

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Thank you for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it! I reply back in an email if you are signed in and I can see your address. Otherwise I will post the reply here under your comment. I tend to cut and paste my emails too so that others can experience the back and forth which I think is integral to blogging.
Libby

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