Untitled Document

Tangles and Conduits

My current work began with a handful of starting points—A New York Times article titled “Universe as Doughnut: Is infinity an illusion?” A book of color-saturated photographs of Havana. A swatch of circus-themed wallpaper. Next came a succession of “ideas”—conscious efforts to organize this information into coherent works of art. Ideas about canvas groupings, ideas about color and composition, ideas that tried to predict what the work was about before the work materialized. All of these ideas fizzled.

Ultimately, what succeeded was an abandonment of conscious constructions and a push towards more inaccessible forms and subject matter, towards internally- rather than externally-generated imagery, towards the unknown.

Easy to say, but in truth, the tug of war between structure and freedom, control and chaos, the known and the unknown is ongoing in my daily painting practice. This uncomfortable struggle supplies the fuel for my art making. Thus, the starting points for my current work led to chaos, and chaos led to more starting points—tangles, knots and conduits. The canvasses record this journey.

The significance of the imagery, at times, seems clear to me. More often, and more satisfyingly, the meanings are mysterious. Ultimately, I believe meaning is a mutable matter. What interests me more than meaning alone is the challenge of producing a collision of color, form, gesture and symbol that liberates viewers of my work—and me—to feel and think freely.

Tangles and Conduits My current work began with a handful of starting points—A New York Times article titled “Universe as Doughnut: Is infinity an illusion?” A book of color-saturated photographs of Havana. A swatch of circus-themed wallpaper. Next came a succession of “ideas”—conscious efforts to organize this information into coherent works of art. Ideas about canvas groupings, ideas about color and composition, ideas that tried to predict what the work was about before the work materialized. All of these ideas fizzled. Ultimately, what succeeded was an abandonment of conscious constructions and a push towards more inaccessible forms and subject matter, towards internally- rather than externally-generated imagery, towards the unknown. Easy to say, but in truth, the tug of war between structure and freedom, control and chaos, the known and the unknown is ongoing in my daily painting practice. This uncomfortable struggle supplies the fuel for my art making. Thus, the starting points for my current work led to chaos, and chaos led to more starting points—tangles, knots and conduits. The canvasses record this journey. The significance of the imagery, at times, seems clear to me. More often, and more satisfyingly, the meanings are mysterious. Ultimately, I believe meaning is a mutable matter. What interests me more than meaning alone is the challenge of producing a collision of color, form, gesture and symbol that liberates viewers of my work—and me—to feel and think freely.
tug, acrylic and graphite on canvas, 12 x 48 inches, 2004

all roads lead to somewhere. i'm going there soon. acrylic, printing ink, oil, and collage on canvas, 36 x 72 inches, 2003

	all roads... (detail)

	all roads... (detail)

corpuscle, acrylic, oil, and printing ink on canvas, 36 x 72 inches, 2004

	corpuscle (detail)

double constrictor , acrylic and oil on canvas, 18 x 36 inches, 2004

conception (red cosmos), acrylic and oil on canvas, 18 x 36 inches, 2004

swoon, acrylic on canvas, 18 x 36 inches, 2004

castaway, acrylic and printing ink on canvas, 30 x 48 inches, 2003

reservoirs, acrylic and oil on canvas, 18 x 36 inches, 2003

tattoo, acrylic, printing ink, and oil on canvas, 30 x 48 inches, 2003

	tattoo (detail)

	untitled acrylic, printing ink, and oil on canvas 48 x 48 inches 2003

	untitled (detail)

	splice acrylic, printing ink, and aquarelle pencil on canvas 36 x 76-5/8 inches 2004

	splice (detail)

	metronome acrylic and printing ink on canvas 36 x 36 inches 2004

All images copyright 1999-2005 Ellen Goldschmidt.