I was working smaller to crank out ideas for large scale grid paintings. As this study was nearly finished I
noticed a shape lurking in the axes of all those squares:
An ideation sequence from 2012 ended in this shape (see “Finding the BrokenObelisk”) and it was exciting to see again. To have it reappear naturally was a pleasant surprise.
Suddenly I
knew the direction. It was as if the
grid was the way to get to this hexagon shape.
Fine with me! I dropped the grid
and went full tilt, working that hexagon shape.
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A hexagon is
a six-sided figure with six angles and six vertices. We all think of the honeycomb but a hexagon is
not necessarily equilateral—the sides don’t all have to be the same length.
I didn’t labor over this but it came to be more important as time went on.
I was rolling with this image, not worrying about anything except what the next idea was: boom, boom, boom went the artwork!
I was rolling with this image, not worrying about anything except what the next idea was: boom, boom, boom went the artwork!
*******************
The holidays
were upon us and my wife and I went away for a week or so. No art production, just vacation, visiting,
watching football—a great break. We come
home and instead of jumping back into art production I took a day to reorganize.
Then
I decided that I needed to do a little research about hexagons, look into their
symbolism. Without the Christmas break I
would have forged on with my head down and brow furrowed, painting away...
It was time
to hit the search engine. Things got
interesting quickly.
First, some
general connotations: communication,
interfacing, union (consider honeycombs and bee society), and
balance. Then
GOLD: The elongated hexagon that I’ve
been working with was a variation of “The Tree of Life.”
As a Christian, this floored me! I was steamrolling with this image; producing it over and over again in various forms, like the guy in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”. Then finding out its meaning…!
This studio
experience is good example of God’s “still small voice.” (Check out 1st Kings 19:11-12) You are motivated, you know it’s right, you
aren’t struggling with it, you’re producing.
And you’re clueless! That’s one
of the best parts! Then you find out
what you’re doing, and THAT’S the best part!
Go boldly
forward. If the creative urge is that
strong then do yourself the favor of following it. In fact, push it! Believe that it will become clear in due
time, that what you are doing is meaningful; even if you don’t understand it
now.
Greater
forces are at work.
