Creative Energy: Unexpected Gems

U N E X P E C T E D L I T T L E G E M S

In my first painting class at The University of Michigan, which was taught by Dean Bayliss, our first assignment was to do a large, detailed drawing of some fruits or vegetables. Then, we took a small 2”x 2” matt opening and moved it around the drawing to discover different abstract compositions which, in turn, provided inspiration for a painting. It was more of a lesson in how to see than how to paint.

Many years later I decided to leverage this principal. Whenever I do a painting that just doesn’t work, I cut the painted canvas out of the stretchers and save it thinking it might lead to something in the future. A few Fridays back, as I sat on my front porch listening to my favorite new musician, Cat Clyde, I started cutting little squares out of several old paintings. The result was little hidden gems waiting to be discovered. I kept cutting and cutting.

When you take something out of its original context, it changes and starts to look totally different. Maybe this is the way it was always supposed to be. This principle can be applied to life in many ways.

What’s next for those unexpected little gems? Will they inspire bigger paintings? Will I put little pieces from different paintings together into a new painting? Not sure yet. Stay tuned.