"Burnt Norton" (2018 No.8, state 16), oil on canvas, 63x66 inches {"What might have been is an abstraction; Remaining a perpetual possibility; Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory." -T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"} Once upon a time, not too long ago, I disliked the process of finishing a painting. I falsely believed full clarification was tedious, and had questionable merit. I no longer feel that way! I now know I must dedicate myself to properly finishing the construction of Burnt Norton. The enormous thought and energy I have placed into Burton Norton's construction has instigated in me profound responsibly for its final outcome. Emotional and intellectual nuance radiate in every bit of Burnt Norton's composition. I am deeply invested. If I abandon Burnt Norton before I have fully tested my knowledge I would relinquish the possibility of my greatest insights. This is about me clarifying the depths of my knowledge and my emotions. To stop before bewilderment would deprive me of full insight. Without full insight I would proceed to the next painting without knowledge of possibilities.
That said, Burnt Norton may be complete, or it is very close to complete. "Burnt Norton" (2018 No.8, state 15), oil on canvas, 63x66 inches {"What might have been is an abstraction; Remaining a perpetual possibility; Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory." -T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"} Sometimes T.S. Eliot could be a bit long-winded. Perhaps his Burnt Norton and mine share long-windedness. My Burnt Norton is almost complete. I need to give it a few minor changes, enhancements, alterations — all to bring it to conclusion. Strange it is; This finishing off a painting feels sad. Burnt Norton has taken me, slow step by slow step, through multiple movements; each toward summation. Its journey was often cumbersome, sometimes difficult, always interesting. This is wide-awake living at its best!
"Burnt Norton" (2018 No.8, state 14), oil on canvas, 63x66 inches {"What might have been is an abstraction; Remaining a perpetual possibility; Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory." -T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"} As my work becomes more sophisticated it is more difficult to reproduce adequately. Yesterday's drawing is richly textured. Its many marks produce a nuanced value structure. This value structure requires special care to produce correctly for viewers here; this fails, even with special care for this drawing's gradations in shading. Remember, I draw with pencil; grey can go anywhere from low value to black. Some lower value grey plays wonderfully against blackness produced by me baring down with strong firmness.
Burnt Norton continues its journey; slow, yet reassuringly confident. I have been staring at Burnt Norton. I did a great amount of pondering! The resulting idea I have: The major green/yellow form needs to be stabilized with a rectangle that is true to the edges of the canvas. This will be tried today. By tomorrow I will know if this alteration does what I believe needs to be done.
As with most of recent drawings, yesterday's was a study in an idea I have related to my recent painting. Do you see the rectangle, dead center, in yesterday's drawing? "Burnt Norton" (2018 No.8, state 13), oil on canvas, 63x66 inches {"What might have been is an abstraction; Remaining a perpetual possibility; Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory." -T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"} Developmentally slow is the painting Burnt Norton. Not a problem; rather it is day by day movement toward solution. This is my acceptance of simplicity. You are seeing it here, now, but not in real time. I am living real time; I am acting in real time. You are seeing the day after day outcomes as if played on a phenakistiscope (not one in a circle but on a forever strip).
Yesterday's drawing is a study of a solid object with projections, forward and backward, from its dedicated spatial position. This is me thinking about necessay changes to the major green/yellow form on the right in Burnt Norton. Those changes were made after this drawing. This art-making is not getting easier! The more I know the more complex and difficult it gets. There are no easy solutions. Each solution is exciting in its process and eventual success. It is success of the process that keeps me going. It is fear of its time intensiveness that makes me nerve-wracked. I am getting older. Life is here, but I need a few lifetimes to get this done.
"Burnt Norton" (2018 No.8, state 12), oil on canvas, 63x66 inches {"What might have been is an abstraction; Remaining a perpetual possibility; Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory." -T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"} Transitioning toward success is a murky activity. Returning, back and back and back, returning until success presents itself; this is the necessary discipline. This activity bolsters confidence. I can do this. I can succeed. I have to keep returning in order to succeed. I can see Burnt Norton becoming a great success for me. It is about a painting, but it is also about my spiritual enthusiasm. Believing I can do this is 90% of the battle. This is the way I will win!
I am allowing the painting Burnt Norton to take its time. I have always felt in a hurry to get things done. Not now! At last I have learned the benefit, the resource, the merit that is Mindfulness! "Burnt Norton" (2018 No.8, state 11), oil on canvas, 63x66 inches {"What might have been is an abstraction; Remaining a perpetual possibility; Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory." -T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"} Paul Cézanne said that his act of painting was based upon "little sensations." Mine too! Big sensations are also important! Yesterday's changes in Burnt Norton were comprehensions of big sensations. I was looking for direct quotes from Cézanne, ones that referred to "little sensations." I could not find any. In my search I did find quotes important to my way of thinking, from Cézanne and from F. David Peat. I show these below. As I paint these ideas are present in my mind. I do think of myself as an artist very involved with nature, such as Cézanne spoke of it in 1884. "Who we are and how we appear to the world is always filled with paradox. Being ourselves is like Cézanne painting a landscape — he who was always tentative, always questioning, never fully sure but always attempting to respond honestly to his 'little sensations' as he called them." - F. David Peat (2002), in From Certainty to Uncertainty
"Burnt Norton" (2018 No.8, state 10), oil on canvas, 63x66 inches {"What might have been is an abstraction; Remaining a perpetual possibility; Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory." -T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"} You can see the work happening. I do not want to stop to explain. Keep coming back here; everyday I will update!
"Burnt Norton" (2018 No.8, state 9), oil on canvas, 63x66 inches {"What might have been is an abstraction; Remaining a perpetual possibility; Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory." -T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"} The contender is me. The definition of rope-a-dope says the "contender lets their opponent fatigue themself by drawing non-injuring offensive actions. This then gives the contender an advantage towards the end of the competition or before, as the opponent becomes tired, allowing the contender to execute devastating offensive maneuvers and thereby winning." I am about to devastate the painting Burnt Norton (in a good way). It is fighting back, but it is becoming exhausted. I will win! I will devastate. Devastation does not mean annihilate, but to enhance the victory through successful decisions. This painting is just me problem solving. I am fixing weakness in fearsome opponents (me and a white canvas). Slowly Burnt Norton is becoming devastatingly successful! The rope-a-dope is a boxing fighting style commonly associated with Muhammad Ali in his 1974 Rumble in the Jungle match against George Foreman. |
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March 2024
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