“You’re a natural mark-maker.” I went to two painting workshops when I first started the abstract painting. Both instructors, within minutes of watching me paint, said the exact same thing. I was a mark-maker. I had never heard that term before. But I knew that sounded like me.
I quite like that idea of both making marks and making my mark. I’m a definitive mark-maker. When I was first starting the abstract work, I told the instructor that “I only paint with organic shapes.” I wasn’t into geometric forms at all. I knew what I liked and what was inside of me. If you look at my work now, you would laugh because I paint with a lot of geometric shapes. In fact, I love geometric shapes.
I am currently enjoying the combination of mixing the organic and geometric elements. The geometric shapes came into my work when I moved to the city and was influenced by my surroundings. I like to go for long walks and let the shapes and spaces settle deep into my imagination. I paint what is inside of me, and those shapes have made their way into my work.
I recently received the question, “What’s with all the triangles?” I didn’t even realize that I was painting with so many triangles. My first thought was, “How can you not love triangles?! They are so cute!” My second thought was, “If I love triangles, then I’ll paint more triangles!” In order to paint authentically and create your best work, you have to paint what is in you. If you’re into triangles, then by all means, triple down on those triangles. I won’t be into triangles forever, so I‘m enjoying this triangle season.
The reason why I say PAINT TRIANGLES—if you’re into triangles—is because an authentic mark is much more powerful than a hesitant mark. While they may look similar, they are not the same. There is an energy that is captured in your marks. People can feel that energy come through in your work. It is better to paint a shape that’s in you, rather than to paint a shape that someone else told you to paint. You can feel the difference when looking at your work even if you can’t see it.
It’s also not that I just “paint triangles”. If you look at my work, I vary the use of the triangle. In fact, so much so, that I hardly notice I paint triangles at all. I use the side of my brush to create triangles. I use paint markers to outline triangles. I create triangles of different sizes. Sometimes I fill them in. I connect the triangles to create different forms. I add dots to the corners of the triangles, if I feel like it. I often like a triangle without the base so it’s just an arrow. Or two triangles together to form a diamond. I create triangles made of dashed lines, thick lines, thin lines, colored lines, and transparent edges. Sometimes I layer the triangles. And sometimes I cover them up completely.
So do I really just paint triangles? Not at all. It’s important to remember that it’s not what shapes you use. It’s how you use those shapes. You can paint with any shapes and make it work. And the best way to pick a shape is to find the one that is inside of you.