The inspiration

I came across a Sanskrit word which I think describes what it feels like when I make these drawings. That word is “rasa.” As I understand it rasa has many meanings in Sanskrit the one I prefer is inherent fluidity or grace. I also like the thought that the  concept of rasa encompasses the idea of an essential element of a work of art which can only be suggested, not described. It’s a kind of contemplative abstraction in which the inwardness of human feelings suffuses the surrounding world of embodied forms. In creative works it is what the artist strives for, that ability to create through their art form a venue to touch the inner soul.

The process

This 18 month long series, River Scrolls, are fusion drawings of digital images, inkjet prints and egg tempera paint. I am enthralled with the blending of digital technology and one of the oldest painting mediums, egg tempera. Even more exciting to me is that I can now capture “sketches” on my iPhone while trail running. These images then make it onto my MacBook where I play with them. I then output them using an Epson 4000 inkjet printer with pigmented ink onto Hanhemühle’s bamboo paper. From there I play with the flow adding egg tempera to the print.