redefining ephemeral
an idea for a possible palette in the next series of paintings
Thank you for joining me here in this week's quiet little conversation: creating a space to take a breath, maybe noticing where you can release some tension as you take a moment to slow down and expand in to feelings of peace and tranquility.
I have a few favourite words that act as containers for what I want my paintings to embody. Words like subtle, transcendant, elegant, minimal, ephemeral, halcyon, liminal. Words that guide what the paintings are imbued with as they come to life on the design wall and at the sewing machine, stitch by stitch. Words that create energies around how I hope you'll experience the artwork.
While doing research this week on words, I discovered the word I wanted to inform the next series of paintings didn't mean what I thought it meant. The word is ephemeral, inspired by images of new work from one of my favourite artists, Sam Lock of the UK, from his show this month in Turo in Cornwall. What is showing itself to me is a very minimalist palette in both colour and texture in the cloth, with subtle marks created by hand stitched thread as the final layer of texture and colour. Three paintings making quietly bold statements about how we can show up in the world, making our marks with quiet yet powerful impact.
I've included an official definition for the word below and yet I kind of want to write my own definition of it - can I do that? Somehow I don't think the dictionary people in Oxford will really go for it. The definition i had in my head was of something which is just barely there, so subtle you sense something is happening but it requires deeper observation. It reveals itself to you by drawing you softly closer, whispering to you a story, inviting you to engage.
I guess maybe I can kind of sort of extrapolate that from fleeting...transitory...momentary...but those words all feel too elusive for how I hope you'll feel when you immerse yourself in these paintings. For now i'm going to stick with ephemeral as the container for these three new pieces...and maybe I'll just send my suggestions along to Oxford!
And as always, I want to express my gratitude to be living and working on the ancestral & unceded territories of the hən̓̓qəmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples.I honour the incredible depths of grace, courage and perseverance of Indigenous Peoples.
until next time,
Mardell