Ode To Redon #5: Expansion, Phased Transitions & Capturing The Space Between The Minds.
Pen and ink contemporary fine art by Doug Ashby.
Expansion: the action of becoming larger or more extensive.
Subconscious: of or concerning the part of the mind of which one is not fully aware but which influences one's actions and feelings.
“Every pen wishes to use me for its theses, for its beliefs. It is wrong to ascribe all kinds of intentions to me. I only make art. Art of expansion.”
-Odilon Redon.
I have been trying more deeply to understand exactly what Redon means when he speaks of expansion. In his book, To My Self, he mentions this idea often. He directly correlates it to his life as an artist, and how the art is a vehicle for his personal expansion. This notion, this idea, I find rather intriguing. As for why I simply can not say. I know that deep within myself I desire growth as an artist, and into a life of fully living and being an artist. This of course conflicts with many other aspects of life that must be balanced. Yet I keep coming back to what it is Redon was looking to relay to himself, or to anyone who may have read this collection of notes. And then of course there is his art.
The series of work that I call, “Ode To Redon,” is all based on an experience I had just over a year ago. I was visiting the Musse De Orsay in Paris and there I came across a grouping of work from Redon I had never seen before. I have written about this in past essays, yet it remains the core of why I am creating this work. Still, like Redon, I do not fully understand why I do this, and more importantly, when I place pencil & pen to paper this is what comes out.
Many biographers have come to the conclusion that Redon took all of his cues from nature. That his work was an abstract translation of his experiences within the natural world. He himself says as much in To My Self. Long before I encountered the artwork that led to this series I would describe my very own work in much of the same way. With regard to the above artwork, we are not getting an accurate rendering of the floral that is seen. No it is an abstracted idea that simply flows outward when I place pencil to paper for the first time. In many ways it expands. My goal is, and has been, to allow the viewer to glimpse the threshold of perception as it transitions between conscious and subconscious perception. Nothing is in a state of fixture, art is one of the few things that can capture these phased transitions and allow us to experience them for a fleeting moment.
When we walk away from an artwork the art remains mostly the same. Its transitions move exceptionally slow. However, we have changed within that very moment.
A large portion of Redon's work, his noirs, are quick works of charcoal on paper, and are very dark. They are spontaneous pieces that emerged directly from his contact with material and his mind. My work does not behave in such a manner, but perhaps the connection is within the placement of the dots. That is never done in a deliberate manner and is only guided by the hand and the tonal aspects of creating stark contrasting values. Spontaneity is not a part of my work. It is something I feel I need to strive further towards. Yet I am not ready to abandon the processes which I have worked for so long as Redon did. The work I encountered in Paris are large oil paintings that must have required great lengths of time to accomplish. So what needs to be discovered is the space between. Between the slow development of an artwork and the rapid pace in which inspiration usually arrives.
Redon also resisted any definitive interpretation of his work. He actively encouraged others to not do so. He is quoted as saying; “Once more, it is good to surround all genesis with mystery.” Perhaps this is the very reason I struggle, and in many ways, resist myself in trying to pin down what it is I do. This is a major reason why I find working in a series so difficult, and challenging. Yet I also feel art tells a story, and more importantly leaves a resonate feeling that moves the viewer in a specific direction. An expansion if you will. So my question then is does the work need an explanation to further this cause? Or is it simply the interaction between what consciously, and unconsciously, comes from the artist and what it is the viewer sees and takes away from experiencing it?
When the above image was first laid down on paper I saw something in it that resonated deep within. There was a connection between the organic and the decorative that I had not achieved to date. A flow if you will that allowed for my mind's eye to be centered, and captured. The floral seemed to grow larger and larger, as if inflating, expanding. It grew within my perception and commanded my attention. It is far from a perfect rendering of the source material and, as stated before, it was never intended to be that.
I am still uncertain if the decorative diptych is something that makes the artwork complete, or is an irksome addition that serves to detract rather than complement. In fact when I set out to create this artwork, as well as the 6th in the series, I created them without the decorative addition at first. Then I decided to be true to the original vision for the series and added them in.
In looking at the artwork now I am still confused as to whether or not it is successful in its compote form or if it would be more so as a stand alone image much like my other work. Sans the diptych addition. The one thing I have learned thus far on my journey however is that it is simply not up to me and that each individual viewer will have their own take. And this is what is truly so enjoyable about being an artist. I can move from piece to piece, detaching myself from them as I do, placing them out there in the world to do their thing and move forward. The next piece of course will be different, as well as similar, but it will keep me moving, and moving is what makes the life and career of an artist. Perhaps this is why Redon so readily switched gears throughout his career?
Despite the series being rather small, only six pieces, I am planning on moving forward and attempting a much larger, more encompassing grouping of work for the next year. This would be under the title of “Phased Transitions.” The impetus comes from a podcast I listened to where the guest said “in nature there are many examples of phased transitions.” The line captured my attention and spoke to me about much of what I do as an artist. It also is directly related to how I will move from life as a full time teacher of art to being an artist full time. To do so will take adjustments. It is exciting and daunting at the same time. Yet I am ready.
Redon of course will, and shall, remain an inspiration. He himself went through many phased transitions within his career. I am far from mining what it is I can learn from his artwork, and his journey as an artist. Just because I am bringing the “Ode To Redon” series to a close does not mean I have learned all I will ever learn from him. That of course is a never ending journey.
The above artwork is for sale if you are interested. It’s is $880.00. All of my artwork is priced at $10.00 a square inch and this artwork is 88 square inches in total. Panel 1 is 8” x 8”. Panel 2 is 8” x 3”. It is unframed. If you are interested you can click here to purchase. If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out through my contact page.
“Nothing in art is achieved by will alone. All art is the submission of the will to the unconscious.”
-Odilon Redon.
Thanks,
Doug
