Get Lost…or Found!

Get Lost...or Found! T H E P R 0 C E S S 0 F F I N D I N G one’s own unique artistic path is crucial to the creative process. For me, releasing my creative potential is about relaxing my conscious thought processes, paying attention to my peripheral vision, and taking action, especially when I am not sure of what I am doing. Taking action is the most important part of this equation. My muse is always with me, and I must trust and appreciate it. It is my pathfinder. Finding the right medium in which to explore and express my ideas was key. After much trial and error, I discovered that I liked a certain 6-by-9-inch, 70-page sketchbook because it seemed the most natural and unobtrusive. A sketchbook is with me at all times, and I work in it at every available moment. It carries my unconscious thoughts, my dreams, and my observations . There are four rules for these books: I must start with the first page and continue, page after page, using one side only, without skipping around. A title page and an end page are necessary . It is not a writing journal; anything written must be part of the art. Most importantly, I am not allowed to tear out a page. If I do not like what I have done, it’s too bad. Not editing myself keeps me honest. These books have their own rhythm. I do about three a year and to date have completed 65 since 1974. They have become the holding library of my unconscious. Because of this enormous archive of imagery, I am never at a loss for ideas. The iconography and sequence of these images reveal to me my unconscious thought patterns. I love looking at these hundreds of drawings and even find interest in works that I’ve previously deemed ugly. Working both digitally and in traditional media creates an interesting balance. Traditional methods afford me lightweight storage and the immediacy of pen to paper anywhere, anytime. I can then transfer a sketchbook idea to digital format by way of scanner or Wacom digitizing tablet. The result of my method has been to increase both my visual vocabulary and the variety of my final output. At any of my exhibitions, there could be works ranging from jD stereo pair art to large wall paintings to Iris prints to interactive installations. Regardless of whether I work digitally or traditionally, the foundation for all my creativity rests in trusting my inner voice. Many times, this voice does not make any sense to me in the moment, and because I trust it, I give up the safety net of control. Without that control, my work takes me down different paths, twisting at every t u r n . If it leads to a place that looks and feels foreign, I know I have ended up exactly where I should be. Barbara Nessim, Curator GalleryAttworks Digital Salon, Gallery Artworks 413 ...