New Direction

©2013 Patricia Scarborough  Hot Start to an August Day  12 x 12 pastel

Greetings Dear Reader -

The Day Trips exhibit is safely hung on the walls of The Burkholder Project. Suddenly I'm without an anchor; no deadlines, no focus, no theme to corral my ideas.

I feel a little like a kid in a candy store. Where do I start?

I enjoyed the challenge of the piece above from the Day Trips series. Could it be a new avenue for me to pursue?

For a long while I've been coveting the lanky spare lines of Nebraska's grain elevators. They are a completely different animal from my usual landscape, yet, in a way, still from the same rural place. Despite their very gritty, dusty machine-like appearance, elevators have a kind of exotic elegance that fascinates me.

I've been trying out some ideas. You get to be the first to see what's been on my easel.

It's not just about the structure of these gigantic insect-looking things. It's about what they represent, their purpose, the time of year...

...birds mysteriously roosting on invisible cables...

the unintended beauty of their architecture...

... the way they bump up against, and fade into, the atmosphere.

©2013Patricia Scarborough  As yet untitled pastel, about 14 x 16

 

It's a terrifically exciting challenge.  Rather than leap into what I know and allowing muscle memory to take precedent, I'm back in the game, wondering what...how...when...

There's no better place to be.