In Search Of Theme
Contemporary Pen & Ink Fine Art by Doug Ashby
The truth is, in many respects, I often don’t know exactly what I am doing. It is beyond counting how many times I have been asked, “what is your work about?” I feel that I do have a general range of inspiration and that translates into imagery. I am fascinated by value, or a range of light and dark areas. I like juxtapositions. The natural world seems to be always in there somehow. Still though I am not sure I have ever put together a thesis if you will. Perhaps it’s about time to get started on that.
But where does one begin to do that? For the longest time I truly felt that I wanted my work to be on the forefront of the climate change issue. I thought that if my work confronted the viewer with considering their own place within the natural world, not as an outlier from it, but apart of it, connected with it, that a transformation in their consciousness could take root and that could set change in motion. I still feel that, however it seems quite arrogant upon closer scrutiny.
The reality is I long to be a part of art history. To exist on that continuum. For creating visual artwork is something I can not wholly separate from. It literally consumes much of my daily thought process and commands a lot of attention. There are periods where this is more or less produced, but it is always there. For a long time I felt that was enough. As I get older though I want to continue to honor this part of my being, but I also want to strive ever harder for my work to have impact. To ascribe meaning to this particular moment in time, as well as within the continuum of life, existence, consciousness. This desire is starting to burn ever stronger.
Am I talented enough. Well many have told me that I am. Imposter syndrome can be quite challenging though. It always feels that every minor step towards success is met with larger steps that fuel the notion that I am not capable of reaching my dreams. And like so many others I too can let my demons rise up and numb away the pain that setbacks bring.
Yet I still always pick up the pen and place marks on a paper that eventually become some form of visual imagery. I always come back to my overwhelming desire to create.
So where do I proceed from here. How do I build a thematic narrative to guide my work and give it more continuity. More connection. From there how exactly to connect with others who will appreciate and fuel my progress. My suspicion tells me there is no secret formula here for success and that it all lies within a commitment to not only “do the work” but to also be nimble enough to grow and change with the work.
The piece above was an attempt to bridge the gap between the forms that exist within nature and the forms we humans create based upon that. An effort to consciously connect the two and allow a dialogue to form that enables us to learn how to exist in a more harmonious manner with our environment so we begin to heal. I do truly feel that healing is essential not just for the here and now but most importantly for those who come after.
Perhaps right there is the beginning of my thesis. Always hard to know for sure.
No matter though for momentarily I will stop typing and pick up the pen again and continue on.
Doug
