STATEMENT

Recently I have limited myself to drawing exclusively, using nibs, acrylic ink, and masking tape on gessoed panels. I wanted to explore how this slow, meticulous movement of my hand filling up hundreds of squares with short, staccato lines, would affect both my perception of nature, and my relationship to my art. I also wanted to contrast this process with digital AI technologies such as Chat GPT Image Generator, which in seconds can create dazzling pictures. This approach to my artmaking helped me realize that the resulting image was less important than the process itself. Because each line is surrounded by empty space, the ground itself acquires equal status with the mark. This has become my number one rule. The ground must be integral to the work, not just a supporting agent. I also discovered that the work was modular. Each square in a picture is its own picture. 

My new series of drawings entitled “Ground Rules” reflects my single-minded pursuit of these ideas. Each piece generates questions and this is more than enough to keep me making it. Just as nature cannot be rushed into producing life, I have been learning to become patient with myself and the work. Equally, no matter how beautiful and innovative AI's pictures are, they cannot compare with a work that is painstakingly executed by hand with a purpose. The eye cannot be deceived.