Year of the Body 2: The new works on paper.

This is post number two in the series about how I made 2020 about the body, coming closer to my own, and exploring the figure overtly for the first time in over twenty years in drawings. If you'd like to read that first to have the background and see five different body related projects, please check out the first post, Year of the Body. In this post, I will now show you the new drawing series and talk a little bit about it. Here are some of the new drawings:

There are elements in these drawings of garments: draping, folds, stitching and layers. There are in some cases elements of landscape, a sense of being an ecosystem of a certain scale for all of the creatures that live within and are a part of one. 

As the year of 2020 unfolded, I did not find that the whole covid experience influenced the work, primarily because my studio was mostly packed away, and my life working at home was not directly thrown off course by the pandemic. It is a very interesting development, in which the realities of bodies, the natural order of need, completely turned our idea-based and abstracted societies into complete disarray.  

There are several other projects underway that relate to this body theme. For one, the Tangle Project of 2007 may become a group project and series of photographs and documentation. 

I have definitely found that my relationship to my body is evolving and becoming 'higher resolution' shall we say. I have learned that when I am saying yes when I mean no, my body viscerally and loudly reacts. It is helping me to learn to tell the truth at a deeper and more immediate level. 

I have found motion to be a huge part of my health, whether in walks or in daily 15 minutes of dance. My very very highly highly recommended resource here is the Kukuwa Dance Fitness video series. Any youtube video over 15 minutes is a great, no frills, sweet and celebratory workout, while calling out all African countries in tribute and listening to music from all over Africa. 

These drawings continue to evolve and make different impressions for me. I would love to hear your thoughts and questions too.