Cosmos: the idea

I did this series of monotypes a while back on a material I found commercially that looks like transparent felt.    I liked the look of the material and wanted to create an ethereal look with the print work.  I put the photo series of creatures "strange and wonderful" just before this cosmos series of paintings.

To be honest, I am not always sure where my inspiration comes from, but it is interesting how similar the shapes and colors of the jellyfish are to this print work that came later.  One always starts with some sort of idea, but sometimes it's just a form or a "gamme" of colors.

In this case, I started with the circle.  The gesture of the circle is so natural as it is close to the scribble we all do as children.  In fact I remember waiting for my father at the University of Redlands where he was a professor when I was five.  He would give me the chalk and let me draw and scribble all over the blackboard while he finished up his day.   And I still like drawing with gestures halfway between a scribble and writing.

In this case, I used acrylic paint which dries really fast, so I had to do these pieces without time for reflection and that is an exciting thing to do .....for all of us who had to always think before writing , a training that starts in the western world,  the minute we are in school.

I notice that amazing things can happen, though, if you are able to work without running everything through the idea department.    I call the series "Cosmos" because I like the word and because the cosmos encompasses so much that is unknown.