A love letter to Drawing
Saturday, April 7, 2012 at 1:59AM Acrylic paint spreads between my fingers and drips onto the canvas below. I revel in the physicality of the paint--the textures, smells, and colours. I am overwhelmed by sensations. It has been too long since I allowed myself the freedom, and permission, to play like this. My professional art practice has predominantly involved digital photography, prints, video projections, and public performances. They are exercises in technicality and logic; they are never simply playful, random, or unrestrained. Music plays in the background, I close my eyes, I try to let the sensations take over and guide my hands. I smile. I am reminded of drawing, sketching, and doodling in elementary and junior high school; long before I wanted to 'be' an artist. I would draw for hours at a time without a plan. I would just respond to each mark, one, after another, after another. Making art gave my brain a chance to relax and to develop thoughts, questions, and solutions to problems. Unfortunately the older and more educated I became, the more I forgot to prioritize time for the small things like drawing, eating, walking, exploring, using my imagination, and playing. Essentially, I am beginning to feel that I have been educated out of the very lived/living inquiry that I am trying to instill within my students. When I think about how long it has been since I have drawn simply for fun, I cannot help but feel that I have lost something very dear to me. The canvas seems to come alive now; with the newly created lines, shapes, and textures. As an artist/researcher/teacher (A/R/T) I believe there has to be a way for me to re-capture the sense of wonder, questioning, and playfulness that I have lost.
-Exerpt from a paper submited by PNR.
