Category: Process - Carl Mehrbach's Art Blog

Carl Mehrbach's Art Blog

Symphony for a New World

1/14/2022

Drawing 12·29·2021 No.1 (state 2), pencil on paper, 20x16 inches

This revisit, to a drawing from 12/29/2021, is auspicious. This drawing has become full of flavor and wonder. I am living in a New World. This is a symphony; rich, complex, with many instruments available to sound a tune - counterpoint, contrast, form, and pattern are here. I am vigorous, sinewy, and have power.

The Cushion at the End of the World

1/13/2022

Drawing 01·09·2022, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches

Drawing 01·12·2022, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches

These drawings are cushions to my soul. These drawings are "here and now." Reassuringly, they are not "there and then."

Overstimulation/Delusional Optimism

1/9/2022

Drawing 01·08·2022 No.1, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches

Drawing 01·08·2022 No.2, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches

Yesterday my energy and intensity stood high. I was flying, stimulated, optimistic. I believed I can produce art of quality and lasting merit. As consequence, today I show two good drawings. I have no doubts. Yes, but... Are these drawings charged with sufficient appeal to be instantly attractive to a large swath of viewers?

Both these drawings make a lot of sense to me. The first is simple, direct, partakes of many of my recent interests, including dynamism of negative space. The second is complex, yet engages with an obvious center. These qualities are important to me, i.e., emotive negative space, and viewer engagement through centering. I believe I have made real the first two rules necessary to profound, emotive art. First and foremost, Art must engage. If that fails, all interest is lost. Without engagement there is nothing.

Studio, January 8, 2022

Goodness & Caring & Doubt

1/8/2022

Drawing 01·07·2022, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches

Explanations from me do not feel justified. It is what it is. There is dichotomy in the search for goodness, kindness, and caring for oneself. There is doubt in living a life well informed, a life well examined. One never knows for sure.

Knock, Knock, Knockin'

1/7/2022

"Tonstant Weader Fwowed Up" (2021 No.10, state 9), oil on canvas, 56x62¼ inches, {"And it is that word 'hummy', my darlings, that marks the first place in 'The House at Pooh Corner' at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up." - Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), in "The New Yorker", 20 October 1928, reviewed by Dorothy Parker as "Constant Reader"}

Drawing 01·06·2022, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches

My acceptance quota is going up. It is going up, up with every artistic move I make. I feel good. This process is better, better all the time. This is recent. This is acceptance. This is how acceptance feels. It is true. It allows me to follow instincts. I trust my inner voices. I step back. My gawd, it makes sense from far and from near.

Summarist toward Today

1/6/2022

"Gonna Speak to the Crowd" (2021 No.5, state 18), oil on canvas, 64x57⅜ inches, {"I'm gonna spare the defeated — I'm gonna speak to the crowd. I'm gonna spare the defeated, boys, I'm going to speak to the crowd. I am goin' to teach peace to the conquered. I'm gonna tame the proud." - Bob Dylan, "Lonesome Day Blues" (2001)}

I am completing the things I began in 2021. Me, Summarist, moving forward by finishing off loose ends from the recent past. Yesterday I spent the entire studio session on the painting "Gonna Speak to the Crowd" (2021 No.5); this is its 18th revision!

New Year New Ideas Old Ideas

1/5/2022

Drawing 01·04·2022, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches

Nothing is the same; everything is the same. It is both ways. Perhaps the term "everything" requires alteration. No matter, here I am, it is 2022. New Year! New ideas! Old ideas! I want to strengthen communication to myself, to my viewers. Strengthening means acceptance of new ideas, as well as acceptance of old ideas that are true ideas.

Not and No, Yes, and But...

1/1/2022

Drawing 12·31·2021, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches

Many things looks right until they don't. This drawing looks good to me, but I have my doubts. Yes, no; could it be something incorrectly formed? Might there be something I am not seeing correctly, or, but for a fool I am. I do not know with absolutism, so I will continue to do what I am doing. I doubt, therefore I go on, I make new stuff. Here I am on the first day of 2022. Looking back upon least year's work, I believe I have come to understand a few things better than when I began 2021. I will continue to make an effort see better. Happy New Year! I wish the best to us all!

Observant Inquiry

12/31/2021

Drawing 12·30·2030, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches

Despite the mark of 31, this one was made yesterday, 12/30/2021. My recent spat of drawings has been remarkably introspective. I have embarked upon an observant inquisition. This drawing continues my rummaging pursuit of personal expression. In parallel to my recent search has been my collecting images from slides of past works, all taken before digital SLR cameras became competent. This revisit, to older works, is important. Looking back I am better able to decode myself. Earlier impulses, however naïve, are clearly seen in younger works. See my rediscovered images at my other website via this link: Catalogue Raisonné.

In summary, I am beginning to make the best art of my life.

Running with the Negative

12/30/2021

Drawing 12·29·2021 No.1, pencil on paper, 20x16 inches

Drawing 12·29·2021 No.2, pencil on paper, 16x20 inches

Positive forms are always important. Balance of negative and positive can occur when negative space is recognized as brilliantly important. Negative/positive balance does occur naturally, from atoms to the earth's environment. These drawings illustrate my embrace of balance. Terrible is the result when things are out of balance; witness global warming.

Color balance brings harmony to a composition. Dynamic color imbalance causes disturbing emotional reactions, which may be useful to self-expression. Negative/positive space imbalance should be explored for self-expressive purposes.