Ballo dell'alba (Dance of Dawn) © Jen Norton
Over the last several years, I have developed this method of drawing with my left hand, free-forming shapes that later become content and parts of other shapes. Sometimes I use this technique to begin a painting. Sometimes I use it to “fix” a painting. Either way, I love the result….the almost mathematical, yet chaotic way that the shapes connect together to create form and content. Organic, tribal…it fascinates me in the way that PBS specials on “String Theory” or hearing Deepak Chopra describe “SynchroDestiny” pull at my gut emotions (yes, I’m geeky). Because it is a very intuitive way of drawing, I can never achieve the same results twice. Sometimes I stand back from a finished piece and think, “Wow, I pulled it off!”. But you know, whenever you get too high on your own horse, God has a way of gently reminding you that He is in control, and His ways are not ours. Such was the case one day when I found myself cleaning my garage….
I came across a drawing my brother Mark had done in high school and given to me. Mark is 10 years younger than I, and has always been fascinated with special effect movies, big-time wrestling and 80s music. We don’t have much in common. He can be focused, obsessed, unwavering…OK, we have a few things in common. In this particular drawing, he had rendered the “Bat Cave”, with in his own personal vision. I had received it graciously, on the surface, and had tucked it among my “old college art”. There it remained hidden for over 20 years, until I was ready to truly receive the gift. So, years later, here I am re-discovering my brother’s work on a hot dusty California day. It has a familiar feel to my current work…organic shapes, slightly off-kilter patterns that could be seen as chaotic, but that work together. Underlying order. Symmetry. Beauty. Something I have discovered myself, after years of searching. Somehow my brother figured it out way before me. There’s something else I should tell you about Mark. He has Down Syndrome.
The Bat Cave © Mark Duris
Jen’s painting, Ballo dell’alba, can be seen as part of the Allied Artists West exhibit at the Pacific Grove Art Center, Feb 20-April 2, 568 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA. Artist Reception, Feb 20, 7-9pm. http://www.alliedartistswest.org/
January 21, 2009 at 5:06 pm
The resemblance between Mark’s drawing and your work is indeed striking. I wonder if Mark is still doing art – would be interesting to see how his style developed.
And – your painting is one of the most original ways to render a sunset! !!