I am my own experiment!
I have been researching into how memory works with regard to shaping our identities.
Today I made studies of an object that I have ‘known’ all my life – a ceramic figure of a little boy. (He ‘lives’ with my Mum so I see him every week but haven’t studied him closely for years).
The drawing process has been very revealing! As I handled the figure memories and feelings came instantly to mind that I really hadn’t had since childhood.So the act of recollection – which seemed totally spontaneous – was as much about touch as seeing. As I drew these’ fresh’ memories we in the forefront of my mind. I’m going to record these memories and their assocaitions in my journal before they fade.
So when I’m thinking about how to use the figure in a painting I have this context of childhood perceptions to set it in. It feels really exciting.
And what have I found out about making sketches as reference for my painting? The sketch connects mind and place so vivdly that subsequent drawing or painting of the object or place can contain an incredible amount of detail and an understanding of 3 dimensions . In this sense is sketching a more valuable referencing tool than photography?
