I did a little more work on my “Thinking of Snow” quilt (Seems to be that’s the name of it). As much as I want all that whitish space I keep filling it up with color and patterns.
Today when I was teaching an Art class at The Mansion (I’ll write about that tomorrow). Paryese, the Activities Director, said that once an art teacher told her never to leave any empty space on a piece of paper.
Horror Vacui, I thought, the fear of empty spaces.
Ten years ago I started drawing by filling up all the space in my sketch pads. It worked for me. Somehow made the drawings feel more legitimate because it took a long time to do and showed.
Now I have a sketch book that I call This is My Leave Some Space book. Sometimes I’m successful, sometimes not.
The thing is, ever since I went to the Whitney Museum and saw a Matisse exhibit when I was in High School, I’ve been enamored with spaces flattened out with pattern on pattern.
So far my favorite square in this quilt is the one with the big red rectangle surrounded by spare space.
It wasn’t easy for me to use that solid piece of red. I started piecing together scraps of red slightly different in color and texture. I knew it wasn’t right, wasn’t what I was looking for. “Be brave”, I told myself, “use a big piece of solid red, you know it’s what you want.”
I’m not sure what my aversion is. Something in me wants to match (or not match) those patterns up. It’s like an addiction. But I’m also dedicated to the “snow” this my quilt.
The snow with the shadows and reflections of light. The back side of the old tablecloths in Thinking of Snow.
