Between the spaces

All life is pure energy. Harvesting it is impossible. But I try. I like the feeling I get from touching objects because they have an indwelling spirit that connects me to the morality and mortality of the universe. I find tranquilly and joy between the places and subjects I encounter. They in turn reveal themselves in unusual and mysterious ways. What draws me in is the ever changing possibilities the emerge without warning. What I'm saying is that I don't control my work it controls me. The joy of being in the moment is reward itself. Creating is being myself. And that is when it happens--- In that tiny space of a moment a form, a line, a texture becomes art.

The spirit moves me

There are days when you feel that the world is out of control and you've lost all sense of reality. Today was one of those days. The sky was pale gray with no particular weather eminent. I look at the cracks on the pavement my head down. I didn't know what street I was on or what the time of day. I search for inspiration and there was none. I turned the corner and took out my pad and crayon. I wanted to go home and forget today. I rubbed mindlessly and let the spirit move me.

The Rubbing Diaries

There is magic under my feet, a wealth of visual excitement commanding my attention. On the street and in doorways, people cover my subjects. I wait anxiously. Soon it will be my turn to touch and stroke the premises. Boldly I rub the cracks and crevices of street remnants. They tell me a story as I take position of their reference. My eyes are clicking. I search for amusement and folly. I search for meaning. People scramble and miss all the juice. I savor every impression as they are revealed to me. This is the talk of the streets. And I am the only one listening.

What is a rubbing ?

The word 'Frottage' is derived from the french verb frotter, meaning to rub. The term is most often used to discribe the process of rubbing on paper over a textured surface so that the underlying pattern comes through. Frottage is perfect for depicting the rough textures of rock, stone, wood and metal. In addition, it provides a quick, spontaneous way of creating surface interest in drawings and paintings. With frottage, the patterns created are absolutely unpredictable and that is what I love about rubbing.

Why I Rub

Why I rub

When I walk down the streets of NYC, millions of images inspire me.
The buildings, cars and trash, are a disorderly, jumble of stimuli. My focus is to capture the soft images and graceful shapes lock in the cold, ridged cement and steel.
I am a modern archeologist gathering impressions for my own selfish research. My journey is a capsule of bits and pieces of time and memory in texture. These marks and surfaces are the hieroglyphics of my city language---a palette alive in many shades of gray.
Touch is everything in my work. I apply pressure as I work, to create tonal interest and add primary colors to stimulate and accentuate these impressions. I create as I go, letting the environment interface and surprise me. It draws me in as I draw it out. I look high and low and wish I could fly.
As I walk from one neighborhood to another, I look for surfaces and material hidden underfoot and in private doorways. I see an amputated old chair, it cries out from under a cardboard box. I cover it with my paper and stroke and stroke the surface with my large graphite crayon. It’s new purpose, evolves into a series of beautiful flowing lines and rich tones. Later, I see a crushed metal crate lying alone in it’s altered state. I cover it with my paper and massage the pattern subtly to reveal its pleasure-- like kissing a stone you love to touch. Sometimes, I turn the corner of a street, and see an interesting relief on a building too high to reach. I ache to have it. This time I take my camera, and capture it for my database.

These intimate relationships and techniques play an important part of the random journeys that chronicles my art process. Rubbing is the art of stroking and giving value to the creative process ---a life long rosary of wishes, dreams and magic. Art is a journey, and I have a one-way ticket to secret places and spaces. Each trip giving birth to unexpected drawings or paintings. Fine lines turn into dancing rhythm that morphs into tonal song that breath when I do. I scratch, rub and nurture the surface of my life and my work.