Over-thinking and Bar Drawing

I’ve spent a long time with my current work and have had ample amounts of time to question my decisions; why I’m drawn to particular times in history etc etc. I think overthinking has been my biggest vice these past two years. At what point do you start separating personal reasons for decisions in art making? But everyone reacts to things differently; obviously we are drawn to things for particular reasons that’s the beauty of art it’s subjective.

I’ve been encouraged to not stray too far from what I’m doing as well as the opposite. I don’t want to lose the essence of my work and I feel unresolved with the series I was in the middle of working on. There are ideas I wanted to finish exploring that I feel could lead me to something else. However, putting yourself outside of your comfort zone is how you improve. So, because I have all the time in the world, I’ve made the decision to finish my old series at the same time experimenting with everything and anything (but at a smaller scale so I don’t waste too much time). Combining pieces of architecture into one drawing, drawing from a photo and then from memory, drawing whatever comes to mind, covering things with gesso and re-drawing them, sketching things over and over sort of like a Giacometti thing, drawing architecture from life, exaggerating the angle even more, and drawing any ordinary thing are all options for experimenting. In one of my critics the word dramatic was brought up and it isn't the first time I've heard it. I love the drama that the charcoal and white space creates. That's something that I definitely don't want to loose in my work as well as the driving concept of time in relation to the fact that we have to face or own mortality as well as the mortality of our loved ones. 

One thing I’ve wanted to explore for a while is small pencil interiors, sort of what I was doing in undergrad but minus the people. So I’m also starting a series of small pencil drawings working from my usual batch of photos from Europe, but family photos as well, and perhaps life drawings from interiors from spaces around me. Meshing them all together could prove to be really interesting.

I’ve drawn random people from life before a few times. Waiting at the airport is the perfect place to catch unsuspecting figures! It’s extremely hard to capture a person who has no idea you are drawing them as they are constantly moving but they make for interesting drawings with a LOT of energy. It’s even harder to capture people at a busy bar, which is exactly what I did when I was done with work last night. I thought they would be more interesting on the checkbook things used to write orders on. I felt a great deal less awkward doing this at a place that I work as opposed to walking into a random bar on a Friday night to draw. It was an interesting experience. I by no means feel awkward in a bar. I usually have no trouble making conversation with people and would never be one of those people who went to a bar felt out of place and began to draw because they didn’t know what else to do. In fact, I would have rather sat down and socialized with a drink last night after work than draw. I was amazed by how many people noticed me and came up to me to question what I was doing. It’s never the same once people realize you’re drawing them. If they feel your eyes on them they keep glancing back at you in a sort of way that almost says, “you have no right to draw me”. Anyway they would be interesting pinned up in piles on the wall or even lying flat for people to rifle through. Drawing people who are continuously moving really is the epitome of capturing a moment in time!