Monday, January 23, 2012

Branching

Do you notice trees or are they just a backdrop in your life ?  I've had a long standing love affair with trees since childhood because our house was next to a lovely wood that ran down to the sea and trees were my playing field.

Lying in a hospital bed for a week provides ample opportunity to think and you try to focus those thoughts in a positive way. When I want to relax I visualize trees but that led to branches, branching and what's going on in my head.  You know how things keep connecting in an artist's mind. That was a good thing in the end because I have a new series pushing its way to the surface.  It's all just tickling the surface to get out, but in the meantime here are some inspiration photos that relate to the idea of branching.  I'm considering it in the broadest way.



 Santiago Ramón y Cajal ForMemRS (1 May 1852 – 17 October 1934) was a Spanish pathologist, histologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel laureate.  This is exquisite mark making.

Artist unknown

Another totally different kind of branching.  Such detail leads me back to the marks of the passage of time. 


The quietness of this work interests me greatly. The composition provides a feeling of protection.

Charles Grogg, Subterraneous
gelatin silver print
20x24 


Another way to think about taking root!


Linda Vachon, pot de fleurs

This work reminds me of encuastic with that soft haze that can be built up with encaustic medium and image transfers.   


Asha Robertson  Raven
22"x24"
Acrylic, paper, fabric, and encaustic, on board

Robertson explores themes of collective memory, time travel, human impact on the land and nature’s ability to reclaim with time .

Andrew Wreach, 2009 , Democritus, archival ink jet print, 70 x 40 in.

Can closed shapes branch?  Can't make up my mind if it reminds me of cells or a view from an airplane.  I am attracted to the colour scheme which makes the whole piece look florescent and glowing. 

Love the lacy intricacy of this.  I'm getting ideas.


and guess what this is?

What does branching mean to you?

8 comments:

-Don said...

I enjoyed going through these images and reading your musings on them. Something that I've come to love that branches out is lightning. I did 4 different paintings last year that incorporated lightning and it was really fun to study. I wish you a complete recovery soon. I can just imagine your frustrations.

-Don

M said...

Good idea Don. I never thought about lighting. What a great format for brainstorming.

M said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carole Reid said...

Hi Margaret,
Thanks for these images. What a great theme to be excited about! I think of branching out into unknown territories (getting out of a comfort zone).

Oh I hope you are up and back at your easel soon and eating home cooked meals again. Take extra good care of yourself. Hugs.

M said...

I am now reading this post with two eyes. The prism ( cling film plastic with almost invisible lines attached to the back of one lens) has improved my sight by about 80 %. Still not perfect but it's supposed to clear itself up in time. It's such a relief. Of course when the glasses come off I am back to double vision.

Kim Hambric said...

I love this collection of art and artists.

I am the neighborhood crazy lady. Stopping, standing, looking up into the treetops, staring.

Branching can mean so many things. Exploring. Separating (branching off). Go in too many directions. Continued growth.

Carole Reid said...

That's good news Margaret! Here's to total vision again for you! xo

hw (hallie) farber said...

Nice collection, Margaret. I'm happy to hear that you are able to read with both eyes--wishing you 100 percent recovery.