Recently... paintings (!)

At the end of last year I started to make diaristic word paintings I’m calling the Recently… series.

Each begins with self reflection and note taking on a particular event. I then pair two (perhaps disparate, depending on your point of view) words that illustrate in some form what I am dwelling on. I’m particularly interested in Janus words. Next I explore definitions, making lists of meanings and associations. On black matboard I use an acrylic paint pen to write a free association diary entry (beginning with “Recently…”). I fill the surface, ending with a complete sentence. I then paint the reference phrase on top of my prose, which of course obscures some of the text.

I don’t know anything about painting. Except that it is impossible? I found being naïve about process to be freeing. A sort of forever “child’s mind” approach to art making.

These images are iPhone documentation, some of which I posted as IG stories. Just like I don’t know anything about painting, I also don’t know anything about photography. But at some point I’ll endeavor to take better images of these and get them on my website. Maybe.