“Unknown Flower” ink on paper 12″ x 9″
There are numerous mistakes here, but you may not see them. It doesn’t matter because the overall feeling flows, and the line is sensitive. Sometimes you must let it go, whatever it is, and let a new solution come in. Mistakes in a drawing and in life are in the eye of the beholder, most of the time no one knows or cares. We always judge ourselves so harshly.
This drawing is from a series of flower drawings in ink on paper that will be for sale. These are not preparatory drawings for paintings; they are finished works. The contour lines, complex twists, and overlapping are keenly observed expressions of nature. These are negative vs. positive space studies, where figure and ground occupy equal importance. Notice how the lines come close to the edges, barely touching and suspended in space.
I adore creating these drawings as it is something of a Zen practice for me. I remember how my mom taught me to draw. Not so much by talking about it but by demonstrating how her left hand moved. It was natural for me, also a lefty to follow along. I slow down and carefully distill what I see. There is an element of chance as my brain cannot pre-think how the line will appear on the paper. Instead, my eyes follow the contours of the flower. And my pen flows. Sometimes, you have to back up and go the other way. Call it a mistake, yet I can express something beyond perfection when my hand is coordinated with my eye most of the time. And it’s perfectly ok.
Look for cover #11 on Dan’s Papers out this Thursday. I’ve sold the painting but here’s a link for the print https://www.artfullywalls.com/art-prints/product/flower-rows-in-the-field-12198
Until next time,
Casey
