In Praise of Rain and Studio Stories

Meander stone and spiral drawing

birches turning yellow behind garden

As I write, the first gentle, soaking rain in 

weeks taps out a slow rhythm on the tin roof. I'm grinning 

with gratefulness. A cool, autumnal feeling day that called 

me deep within myself and found me tending the land and 

working in the studio. The birches have started turning and 

dropping leaves much earlier than usual. I began the day by 

cutting the numerous saplings that sprout in the clearing - 

an ongoing necessary task to claim some open space in 

the midst of the forest. I trimmed hemlocks, cut black and 

yellow birch, keeping a few white ones for their graceful 

leaf-wind-dance. I could feel the rain coming - the smells, 

a certain density of clouds, the rustle of high leaves. 

As I wandered and worked, small signs of fall color 

peeped out from secret hiding places. 

I noticed that someone tasted the volunteer squash, 

probably the woodpile chipmunk who lives next to it. 

Guess it wasn't to her liking. 

After hauling the brush to a pile in the forest, I contemplated 

the cord and a half more of wood that needs to be stacked, 

but some images and ideas I'm working on drew me into the studio 

for more exploration. Sometimes, things that start as pure fun turn 

into something exciting. I didn't realize until today that the painted 

stones I made for my Myth and Symbol students in the spring related 

to the line doodle drawings I was doing last winter. 

line doodles 

Its not really surprising, I'm fascinated with these kinds 

of primal patterns, crop circle patterns and ancient 

symbols that are seen in cultures from all over the world. 

What is surprising is that they haven't ever found their way 

into my work in a sustained and significant way. 

Now, however, they are demanding attention. 

painted spiral stone

I've been obsessively making bleeding, primal pattern 

drawings the last few days, listening to stories told in the 

language of symbols. Patterns are speaking to me, though I 

hear them from a place just out of reach of my consciousness. 

I know obsessions to be very useful things to nurture when 

it comes to making art - they can take me on grand, new 

adventures if I have the courage to follow....    

I'm obviously being influenced by things on my studio table,

but then again, I chose to put them there.... 

Though the patterns aren't so different, its the surface they are 

on that gives each its particular quality. Gel pens on black paper, 

silver paint marker on stone, ink on watercolor and Yupo paper. 

What I'm excited about with these new drawings is 

the obvious influence the stone shapes have had on 

them. The line doodles are like patterns in space

that speak of microcosms and macrocosms - 

spinning electrons and galaxies. I see ancient 

artifacts and petroglyphs as I draw patterns within 

the stone-like forms in this work. Containing 

the patterns this way is a new way of working 

with much to explore. 

Above is a drawing on Yupo paper which is not 

absorbent at all so creates interesting bleed areas 

as the ink dries. Below is a detail. A bit like an eye...  

Two spirals on Yupo. The one on the right is still wet, 

if you click to enlarge, you will see the pooling ink. 

Three primal pattern drawings on watercolor paper. 

Who knows where all this will lead. For now, I'm happy 

to feel myself pulled into the studio. I have landscapes to 

make for an upcoming show and a gallery, both demanding 

that I commit to a body of work instead of a new exploration. 

I will keep making these drawings however, I'm too obsessed 

not to! They are new ingredients I am stirring into my 

cauldron of imagination. Always a good idea to change 

up the stew now and again to keep 

things interesting....