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In the dark

I began to work "in the dark", that is, at low enough light levels so that color was not discernible, consciously. I considered working "in the dark" a first primitive step in the direction of "making the invisible, visible"  (Max Beckmann).

Our lives, our form, our very existence is directed, molded and created by invisible forces; the forces of nature described by Quantum Mechanics and Parapsychology, the forces behind emotions and feelings, the forces we call illusion (which are more real than the dense physical world we perceive, the energy fields and wave forms we call reality). There is a part of the mind that is conditioned by and perceives light (color, shape, form, texture) that conditions and creates our concepts, beliefs and ideas about our physical reality, the visible. There is also a part of the mind that perceives the invisible. I want to tap into that part of the mind.

Smaller pastel works are done in semi darkness, with colors being picked unconsciously, serially or at random so that the image is designed in black, grey and white with the final form bursting forth with the introduction of light. Using these techniques I created and designed drawings in shades of grey. There was always great excitement and surprise at what would be revealed with the introduction of light.

Whatever the forces and circumstances that precipitated this unusual way of working, it created a process that was inspirational and generated hundreds of works in pastel.

Coupling this with the idea of "making the invisible visible" and my keen interest in Quantum Physics and Cosmology, I produced a series of paintings "in the dark" that is the beginning of this ongoing experiment.

More than ever before, even when I was doing the pastels, I feel that I am delving into the unknown. The burden of working for reasons other than my own joy, excitement and satisfaction has been removed once again.

I want to continue the experiment. At this point I do not know whether working "in the dark" has anything to do with "making the invisible, visible" or which part of me is choosing the colors “in the dark" or if these ideas are connected.

 


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