Creating interest with alternate materials

I didn’t write a post yesterday as I went to visit a local gallery. Rarely have I seen pieces that are similar to mine that involve only photography. And when I do they seem “flat” to me.

While looking at the exhibition yesterday it dawned on me that the pieces I was most drawn to are multimedia. Layered with textures and evoked more feeling than a solitary image. Part of this, I assume, is from my background in painting as I experimented with different textures and forms to express an image. As I am not formally trained it involved using commonly found things to form textures not those specifically formulated for painting.

This is a more creative process to me, and although the ability to use things specifically formulated for a purpose may be “easier” it lacks the search adn discovery of finding a common item to achive a similair look. I write similiar as nothing will ever be an exact match adn the use of a found item may lead to a more intersting result.

In my mind this equates to a beautiful piece of wood that is used to make an object by hand. The same item made by machine will, to me, lack a sense of soul. Think of the feeling of running one’s hands over a the surface of a piece of wood, feeling the grain and texture, how it fits into one’s hand. The warmth and realness created by hand can only be mimicked by machine.

My pieces must evoke the same sense of texture and want the viewer to reach out and a touch it. Not just a visual experience but a tactile one as well.

To this end I have decided I must include these items in my work and not rely solely on the slick photographic version. It may convey the same imagery but never the same soul as a piece that begs to be touched. I will return to incorporating texture and paints to expand the palette and hopefully result in this shared desire to touch not just look.