As it always goes in every beginning stage of a 'project', my mind is full of abstract ideas that I am not sure what to do with or how to interlace together. Right now, for some reason, the saying 'you're not afraid of the dark, you're afraid of what's in it,' is replaying over and over in my head. I'm thinking about how I've always been afraid of darkness, the invincible shadows that consume once-familar spaces in the house, the city, the places I loved in the daylight. But what is in the dark? What gnarly creatures crawl in the ill-lit corners?
I've investigated the theme of 'morphed creatures' a few years back, looking at the works of Charles Avery, Hieronymus Bosch and more.. But only recently did I discover the disturbing creatures of Alfred Kubin and his many inspirations (Francisco de Goya, Henry de Groux, Félicien Rops...) and this array of artists fascinated me. How hellish, eerie, and surreal were the imageries created, with such lack of colors. Kubin worked a lot with pen/ink drawings and ink washes, which are mediums that interest me. He was also an expert of lithographs/aquatint and other printing processes, which I've been fascinated by but have been afraid to try out in the past.
When I see artists like Kubin simply sketch out creatures, I have a strong urge to draw as well. However, I’ve never been confident in drawing/sketching and it feels like a major obstacle for me as I try and put down on paper what it is my mind. This is my current struggle and I am not sure how to overcome it. I have many images in my head but due to this, the result on paper is but an abstract mess. Perhaps I should embrace and outgrow this area of concern. In most of my recent paintings I’ve never really planned the work itself. As a result, the works became uncertain and I’m never sure whether to continue on with it or not. I wish for this ‘project’, I can paint with more certainty and purpose than the floating images I currently have.
I've investigated the theme of 'morphed creatures' a few years back, looking at the works of Charles Avery, Hieronymus Bosch and more.. But only recently did I discover the disturbing creatures of Alfred Kubin and his many inspirations (Francisco de Goya, Henry de Groux, Félicien Rops...) and this array of artists fascinated me. How hellish, eerie, and surreal were the imageries created, with such lack of colors. Kubin worked a lot with pen/ink drawings and ink washes, which are mediums that interest me. He was also an expert of lithographs/aquatint and other printing processes, which I've been fascinated by but have been afraid to try out in the past.
When I see artists like Kubin simply sketch out creatures, I have a strong urge to draw as well. However, I’ve never been confident in drawing/sketching and it feels like a major obstacle for me as I try and put down on paper what it is my mind. This is my current struggle and I am not sure how to overcome it. I have many images in my head but due to this, the result on paper is but an abstract mess. Perhaps I should embrace and outgrow this area of concern. In most of my recent paintings I’ve never really planned the work itself. As a result, the works became uncertain and I’m never sure whether to continue on with it or not. I wish for this ‘project’, I can paint with more certainty and purpose than the floating images I currently have.
