One of my favorite parts of the new studio space at FVRC is the blackboard in the room. My studio is half of an old classroom that was divided with a wall down the center. I get half of the original blackboard, made of real slate, exposed along the far wall of the room. During my week of studio set up this became a great place to make lists and think about laying out the workspace.
Sketches on the board have included lists and planning of the actual space. As I measured the space, it was helpful to consider how many easels, work tables, and chairs to bring.
In a more significant way, the board has functioned as a notebook. My work usually first begins with words, lists, association diagrams, etc. Sometimes it begins with process drawings. There is nothing better than chalk on slate to do quick sketches. If you like the sketches, you can photograph them for documentation, then erase and move on. I also have a love of the chalk on black slate because of the work of Cy Twombly and William Kentridge who have both used these materials in dynamic ways.
Getting started back in the studio has taken some time as I knew it would. The last few years, my studio has been in the basement of my home, which has sever lighting, spatial and chemical restrictions. The new studio feels the opposite with its large windows and good uninterrupted space. Warming into the new space, and wanting to begin a new body of work, I have experienced the typical initial phases of ideation. I have two things I’m working on. The first is somewhat represented by this octagonal form. As anyone who knows my work is familiar with, the grid, or mapping systems play an important role. More recently, I’ve had a desire to work with grids or mapping systems of architecture, particularly of ritual spaces that I’ve been to, or am interested in getting to. The geometry of an octagon requires two sets of grids laid over one another at 45 degree angles. This historic presence of the octagon in both Christian and Muslims structures and patterns is of interest in this exploration.
In this center detail you can see how chalk, water and eraser are quick tools to realize ideation sketches. The thick dark black lines, which resemble ink, are made with wet paper towels over a dirty board. Previous drawings now erased are ghosted as part of the ground.
Chalk and water on slate can be as delicious as big juicy oil paints. And oh, so much faster!
One of the architectural sights that I have been thinking about is a small ecumenical chapel on the campus of Ohio University known as Galbreath Chapel. Several years ago I spent a good deal of time in this chapel with students from a drawing course. The course I taught was focused on architectural drawing and rendering. This chapel became our focus because of its modest size. The chapel has an octagonal floor plan, and because of the complexity of the geometry, required students to use two sets of vanishing points in a 2-point perspective system. This doubling of the grid in space is what has prompted my own thinking.
Moving off the black board onto an initial canvas, a double grid allowing for the formation of octagons. I began loosely drafting this double grid on a set of four panels, each panel at 1 x 2 feet.
Simple drafting tools allow for an easy start.
This layer of grids is just the starting point. I also can’t wait to see where this goes…..Stay tuned!
