line designs
Over the last several years I have been so intrigued by the students I work with who have special needs. I am fascinated by the way their minds work, process and operate so differently than what might be considered normal.
This series includes images inspired by their original artwork. The paintings have a crisp, structured, colorfully striped background. Each color is mixed for a specific single stripe and then altered for use somewhere else. Each background displays the careful and intentional precision of an artist. The colorless line drawings that wind their way across the top of this rigid process are completely opposite. They are whimsical, carefree and fun, without regard for proportion, art rules or organization… a refreshing freedom from guidelines and structure.
The juxtaposition between the two parts is fun and playful, but behind that delight is a deeper issue. When people see the work, they often identify with a color or two and are drawn in by the fun, playful line drawing. The pleasant fusion of those opposites allow the viewer to connect to another reality. We all have our moments of seeing things differently, of communicating in ways that others don’t expect or even understand. We can all identify at some point with being the wrong fit in a world full of boundaries. Who of us does not have our own special needs?
(Shown at Wisdom Café and Gallery, Nevada City, CA May 2007)