"Unseen Lines" text detail (c) Dianne Bowen
Drawing is like taking a line out for a dance, sometimes it's a heavy metal slam dance, sometimes it's as structured as a waltz, and sometimes it's a virgina reel and I'm just switching hands and partners, pencil, paint, paper, film...

An artist's journey making sense of the world through art, language and conversation.




Monday, February 16, 2015

daily diary in the studio, think tank east village

I've been working with paper again. Recently I bought a few sheets of various hand made papers and a beautiful yellow-ish natural papyrus. While helping a friend sort through her work she gave me some old sketches she'd made on carbon paper. Yes, that old wonderful blue carbon paper used to transfer drawings. Lovingly rolled and popped in my bag, this was going to be an impromptu collaboration.  After 2 weeks of planning and playing with the papers I finally got to work to make my first paper piece of 2015 I've tentatively titled "Down the Rabbit Hole".

I wanted the piece to harken back to  earlier book sculptures I'd made while in Ravenna, Italy as my mind has been going back there recently. The idea of careful excavation of frescoes, pieces of mosaics unearthed with the gentle care of using one's pinkies I thought. Peeling back fragile layers, time, history, cities, systems, ancient, extinct, present..? This began the journey.


"Down the Rabbit Hole", 2015 (c) Dianne Bowen (working title) found spring, used guitar wires, mylar cut out, found sketches on carbon paper, museum board, glow in the dark dress pin

"Down the Rabbit Hole", 2015 (c) Dianne Bowen (working title) found spring, used guitar wires, mylar cut out, found sketches on carbon paper, museum board, glow in the dark dress pin

Saturday, February 7, 2015

thinking out loud

Weather conditions of late have been both influencing my work and mimicking life. Abu - Abu !! I cry out internal voice straining. Push through, never give up keep going. My body strains to keep up with my mind. I went to see the Matisse cut outs and stained glass piece he created for the chapel in Vence. It wasn't just his work I wanted to see but I wanted the experience of being around the work with the knowledge of his illness during that time. It takes a brass set to keep ones self intact during such an assault on the body. Now really understanding the depth of it I can pull inspiration without falling into it. Use what is needed and let go the rest. And so it goes I tell myself every morning as the sun rises warming my face. So I see we're here again are we? Then let's get to it and see what the day brings. And so goes, and so it goes, and so it goes.

Back to my love of papers and films, while working on the large outdoor piece which is fortunately within walking distance I work as I enjoy most, multiple pieces simultaneously. It's how I view drawing really, my process is the same. Original books and book sculptures have been on mind. Re-visiting works to help move forward. A friend gave me her old blue copy paper she had been using for years to transfer drawings from paper to paper. Her work has fluid full round lines which I've always loved. An unexpected kind of collaboration, appropriation one might say? I decided to mulch the paper recycling it into a hand made paper to create a sculpture. The pieces are small, table top size really, intimate in scale. From micro to macro I go again in thought and scale now.

Drawing is like taking a line out for a dance, sometimes it's a heavy metal slam dance, sometimes it's as slow structured as a waltz, and sometimes it's a virgina reel and I'm just switching hands and partners, pencil, paint, paper, wood...

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Daily Diary thinking out loud

The second layer of drawing in the snow at the mural has melted. Paint now only a memory in color of the previous mark settled lightly on the surface. It's dry form almost like lunar mountains through the Hovel telescope. Everything is in flux, my mind is brimming with so many questions I can't keep up. The mural project has proven to be a perfect vehicle to stretch out into the world literally and figuratively. Mark making, drawing, what is a line and how do we understand or perceive what it is to draw is still my main focus of exploration currently I'm in the midst of changing hands and partners as the virgina reel brings me back to various papers and films, pencils, wires, shadows, glinting light, a gently flow, languid fluidity. I've also gone back to working on my collection of original artist books with a dimensional approach, "sculptural or temporary micro installation" books. Ripping our perceptions apart, what is a page, a line, how does a word sit within the confines of such an object, what is such an object ? So many questions, my fascination gets the best of me and I loose track of time or even days.

I've been sorting through my flat files and materials looking at the various papers I've collected over the years. Inspiration is coming as I look backwards picking at peripheral thoughts I'd tucked back in the drawers for later.