Some pieces create themselves. When that flow begins, it’s an amazing experience. Most artists know this magical spot though it doesn’t happen often enough. At some point, you realize you are not creating, but acting as a conduit for the creation of a work of art. It’s thrilling, humbling, mystical, spiritual…
Comfortably Numb: 36”H x 42”W x 14”D - Sculpted figure mounted off the surface, casting a real shadow on the background.
“Comfortably Numb” was one of those pieces. From a couple of brief sketches, I saw the concept and its execution clearly. The figure took very little time to create. The gesture came together effortlessly. The canvas had to support the sculpture invisibly for the illusion to work. Even that was a short problem-to-solution step.
I did a rare thing at that point. I stopped working on the piece. I stepped back to enjoy what was happening. When a piece practically creates itself, the experience passes too quickly. The magic passes in a short, intense moment. With “Comfortably Numb,” I chose to enjoy the process completely. So, I set the canvas aside unpainted with the sculpture mounted to the surface. And I looked at it for a week or two.
Then, in a very short session, I blocked in the 2-color background. It was a simple wash of Manganese at the bottom and Pyrrole Orange across the top. It had a Rothko vibe. I left that alone and simply observed for another week or two. Thinking but not doing. One morning the rocks and clouds became. Gradually, through the next week, the reflection and refraction of light appeared. Effortlessly. The most playful part was enhancing, but not fully rendering a shadow cast onto the surface by the figure. Suggesting waves near the horizon, the illusion was complete.
I have studied the illusions created by Rene Magritte. The geometry of Comfortably Numb is spatially similar to several of Magritte’s 2- and 3-dimensional works. Equally important are his titles. Each image makes a statement. Each title offers a different perspective. Between the viewer, the art and title a question is forged. And you are engaged.
The title of this piece was illusive. On one level, it might be a pollution or climate change statement. On another, might be comment on our current media/political game show. It’s could be a dream sequence. Or a mirror.
While packing sculptures for “Notes for Travelers,” an exhibit at Art at the Cave in Vancouver, WA, it came to me. Comfortably Numb reflects our shared personal predicament. We are moving blindly through space. Maybe intentionally. Maybe not.
It’s hard to define where an idea begins. But the idea is just the beginning. View this 3-minute video for a concise explanation of what happens between the initial idea and the finished sculpture.