Minimalism...

Second day back and still going strong!  I'm very excited to share with you what I've been up to in the studio lately.  I am playing with a very foreign concept - for me at least.  And we shall call that...

"Minimalism."

What is Minimalism?
(I have no idea.  Really.  In every sense.

1. • min·i·mal·ism ˈminəməˌlizəm/ noun 1. a trend in sculpture and painting that arose in the 1950s and used simple, typically massive, forms. 2. an avant-garde movement in music characterized by the repetition of very short phrases that change gradually, producing a hypnotic effect. Hmmm...I'm thinking more..."simplicity." sim·plic·i·ty simˈplisədē/ noun the quality or condition of being easy to understand or do. the quality or condition of being plain or natural. a thing that is plain, natural, or easy to understand. And for those of you who know me, that's not exactly my strength.  In and out of the studio, I tend to amass "stuff."  And don't we all though?  But me especially, I must admit.  In my writing (which I'm often told could use "more word economy", in my messy room, in my pantry full of every food known to man, and in my hectic schedule - there's much, much "stuff" in it.   So I like to use art as therapy in many ways - and one way is, I like to create art based on how I'd like to start living my life.  Meaning that my cluttered art: makes my psyche feel a bit cluttered.  While my more whimsical art: Uplifts me with a sense of dreamlike, childlike wonder.  Like anything is possible. There's always a lot in my head.  'Tis the life of an artist.  Head, heart, soul brimming with "things" - whether it be inspiration, ideas, thoughts, emotions, or dinner-planning.  Now, I am challenging myself to the task of.... "Simplicity" Less Pollock, More Rothko? Jackson Pollock Mark Rothko

     Well, I'm at least going to try.  And this morning was a start.  I love making inchies.  You can see a bunch of pieces I've made featuring my inchies on the gallery site of my website (amyoes.com) here:  http://amyoes.com/Artist/InchiesGallery

   
   
2. Inchies are a wonderful little art project.  So you want to know what exactly my "inchies" are -
   they're ridiculously easy to make for anyone, and what you make of
   them, how you make them, why you make them is entirely up to you - the
   possibilities are endless and it can be an infinitely open-ended
   project/hobby.  Here's a good place to get you started.
3. 
   
4. For my first art solo art show in 2011, Journey Into Daylight, I created a massive piece featuring tons of inchies called Laugh At Fear.
   
   
   It's very interesting to look at, and it's very big.

I was advised by Jeanine Esposito, working with me at Beechwood Arts, as well as my painting professor at Hampshire College, that I should stretch myself and try to be more minimalistic with my art - (WHAT???!!!!)  And let me just say that it's harder than it looks!!!!  (For me.)  Jeanine suggested that my inchies are so detailed individually, that putting them all on one canvas detracts from them, so just experiment with putting one or two inchies on a single canvas.  As soon as she said that, my mind just went into Zen/Empty/Peace/Clear mode - and suddenly I felt the firsthand experience of how art can be used therapeutically, as a metaphor for one's own life.  

So anyway, this morning, I attempted such a crazy idea (again, for ME) and boy did I struggle!

These were some "bare" (well, to me at least) canvases I started out with.  And honestly, I really did try to do as little as possible to them!  I don't hate how they came out, they're just not..."minimal."  I guess.

Hey, if I have a style and it works for me, why change anything.  Yet, shouldn't we always push ourselves to continually grow as artists, and more important, as individuals?

“My turn shall also come:
I sense the spreading of a wing.” 
― Osip Mandelstam, The Selected Poems

 Then, for me, this was the more bare minimal background I could manage:

 And I did "very little" (again, FOR ME) with it.  I do like it though:

Okay, and now for the inchies.  I painted a few "bare" backgrounds.  Bare in my perspective, of course.

Honestly, I did cheat.  I put one or two inchies on each canvas...But...the canvases are so small that they really can only fit one.  Oh well.  You have to start somewhere right?  

 So...what do you think?  Is it always all or nothing?  If I wanted complete minimalism.  I can just grab a sheet of paper.  This is me.  

(But...)

I'm always willing to grow!  And this was a first step.  In...what's that word again?  Oh yeah.  "Minimalism."

“Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength.” 

― Sigmund Freud