Dennis Mitchell
The Futile Flock
We make noise about art being special. We pretend it proves we are civilized. Except I don't see it stopping wars, restoring eco systems, or reducing economic inequality. I wish it could. I want to be able to paint a dove and have one less child killed by predator drones. As if sympathetic magic worked on the Pentagon. Do our grandkids even have a future?
So at this time of need what does art come up with? Polka dots, dribbling paint, shinny metallic poodles that look like balloon art? Is the human flock just going the way of the passenger pigeon? I can't restore my grand children's future. That would take a flock, a big flock. One that included pigeons and humans. Can I paint that? Can my flock create that?
These passenger pigeons are fabulous! I love your questions? Can you please explain the different art methods you used and how you replicated the same image but in beautifully diverse ways?
ReplyDeleteThank you. The first image is oil paint. The second is an egg tempera in a tube from Sennelier. It is on Arches 140# cold press. My egg tempera work is normally done in a traditional manner with ground pigment and egg yolk on a traditional gesso.
ReplyDeleteThe first image in the next photo is a simple wood burning. Followed by a three dimensional version of carved and inlayed solid wood. The dove being carved out of Walnut. My last dove is acrylic paint with a natural wood back ground. I wanted to emphasize natural wood because one of the places the Honeycomb Project will be shown is the College of Southern Idaho where I received my woodworking certificate.
Just fabulous to see your pigeon and landscape in different mediums! I love how the "sun" changes in character and purpose with each. Your use of texture and focus on natural wood connects the pigeon to Earth. I've been working with branches I find in nature, especially ones with designs bored by bark beetles. I try to allow the bark beetle designs to open my imagination with materials. Thanks for inspiring!
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