"Sketchbook Processes"

2011

Sketchbooks are hidden, raw and reduced personal places for me to work out content inside my head and operates as a hand-holding companion.  I am currently working in 4 to 5 sketchbooks and 2 writing journals.  The visual diaries are entries and part of a daily practice.  It becomes a part of my everyday routine and structure when studio painting sessions are unavailable to me.  Even when there is a viable space in which to paint and spread out, I rely strongly on sketchbooks and writing journals.  


This type of experiential feedback process is similar to looking at mini clustering processes that some writer's use.  Drawing, writing, composing music evokes a particular aspect of one's life content, and unfolds within it's own contexts.  Distinctive systems, rhythms, style, movement and inner dialogue takes place between you and the work.  

2011

Not all entries are important.  Sometimes a single drawing, or a group of them created on random non-consecutive days signify, affirm, and reaffirm something I am compelled to explore.   I become excited when I review and flick through pages after weeks of playing in the books.  This practice also has an element of showing me what I'm ready to discard,  move beyond an idea, or begs a reason to return to the beginning.


A sketchbook is like a 'pressure release system'.  When struggling with direction and ideas, returning to these diaries help me reconnect and become inspired by my own ideas.  

2011

These particular sketches represent a majority of the January entries which have been showing up consistently throughout the visual diaries.   The cylinder and circular forms.  The impulse to play between circles and grid based content come and go.  


Below are older paintings asking me to return for a closer look evoked by the current sketches.  The separating of elements, even though gestures are small in the sketchbooks, motivates me to explore what is going on.  Looking at these two previous paintings generates an inner dialogue and extends the range and possibilities of the next move -- giving me a subtle satisfactory nod toward consistent content.   

2006

 2006

Sometimes anxiety and self-doubt plagues the artist most often than not.  If you procrastinate and only think about making work, you'll feel more exhausted than if you'd created for hours.  

I work at flowing around every obstacle I encounter as an artist.  This self-explorative process is a large part of my interest in making art and maintaining a healthy mental state of mind.  So, for every mood swing or a shift in execution, keep updating your plan with a process that works for you.  

The artist dreams of works of breadth; but limited

by her personality and the nature of her medium,

limited by inner disturbances and loss of purpose,

she often works more narrowly than she's intended...

 __ Eric Maisel

"Next Exhibition - Maniac 2 - June 11, 2011"

Check out the Cataloque for my next group show - "Maniac 2"

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2210564

The Brickhouse
2837 36th Street
Sacramento, CA
Opening Reception - June 11, 2011 - 6-9pm

CYNDY GOLDMAN

This work is an arrangement of vertical proportions that explore building and generating a rhythmic color frequency. The surface can be seen or felt. The optical equilibrium is repeated as a group or unit interacting between elements which move from a static to a dynamic field.

I always listen to music while I paint. Color and materials largely contribute to drive the process in the building and reductive placement of form and textures. The compositions strive to create the illusion of light, density and flow.

The current “Groove” paintings references the rhythmic beats in jazz. Through an intuitive organization of line, form and color, the paintings move forwards and backwards similar to rhythmic patterning and feelings in music. Like that of color systems, music creates a response to the cycle of motion that emerges in aligned concurrent rhythmic patterning.

The paintings find resolution through evolving organically while pushing and influencing spacial elements into a corner to work itself out. The process stops when the optical satisfaction lands a visual surface beat without losing the whole. A painting hanging off the obvious or illusive grid.

Cyndy Goldman was born in San Francisco, California. She is a Los Angeles and San Francisco based painter, Educator and Art Therapist. She studied Expressive Art History at JFK University and has facilitated Art Therapy Groups for Interns in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her work has been exhibited in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York

www.cyndygoldmanstudio.com

"Roots"

Graphite, Acrylic & Oil

Canvas on Panel

20"x 20"

"Beats"

Graphite, Acrylic & Oil

Canvas on Panel

36"x36"

"Modal Change"

Graphite, Acrylic & Oil

Canvas on Panel

24"x48"

"Staying Engaged Outside the Studio"

Since January, I began doodling and sketching at nite instead of keeping up with my journal writing.  This cold winter in my Los Angeles loft cut my studio time short and a new strategy developed.  The anxiety of shortened studio days of working on paintings led me to a funny idea of my "I can't sleep pages" as well as a "One Sketch A Day" process and discipline.  


Staying engaged with art is extremely important as I have experienced many cycles of stopping and starting.  The personal life challenges and big transitions continue to push-- keeping me digging deeper and learning faster and faster.  


As artists, we can become limited by our inner and outter life disturbances.  I've discussed this in other posts -- these changes whether positive or seemingly negative have an impact.  The limitations when these unexpected periods occur, create feelings of failure and sometimes a loss of purpose for our intended dreams of wanting to follow the work with discipline, honesty and enthusiasm.


The longer I stay distanced from working, the more energy it takes for me to return.  My return is about the regularity, discipline and engagement.  Working within my sketchbooks has become an enjoyable and different kind of engagement.  There is no pressure, no feeling of failure and a new format to explore.  


Staying engaged with these art journals is cultivating patience and motivating a flow of discipline during a workflow adjustment.  A type of waiting without feeling idle.  As we know, waiting is a big part of the art game -- responses from the world frequently takes a very long time....if and when it comes.  Making art requires waiting and very often while you're waiting, staying engaged is everything.  


It would be nice to know what will happen with our work and our life, but we can't know.  I find staying close to your work, whatever it is that works for you, facilitates maintaining one's mental health!  Who hasn't experienced mood swings -- ups and downs... The shifts in our circumstances and mistakes in decisions and executions --not to mention lots of rejection and experiences of feeling dismissed. 


 Always a constant updating of your plan, especially now with the intensity of the internet and social networking media.  Adjusting to our day to day life is more constant than we realize.   The cold navigating comes when we are forced to be tougher with ourselves and forced to personally establish stronger boundaries to survive.  More energy is demanded when adding in the factor of detaching from the work that is out of our reach, and making that shift to committing to new work that wants to come.  Or, coming to terms with the reality that we can't make that shift or take that risk right now.  It's never easy but showing up is still the ultimate bottom line.  


Here are some of the images from my pages that I feel most connected to right now.  This one was my first entry.    

I keep showing up because it's much harder to stay dis-engaged.


The next post will be about the "mini-processes" going on with this personal dialogue, and my experiential feedback from the composite of drawings and sketches.  There's an active element and observation seeking to unfold.  


  "All space is space in which to create -- go directly to work!" 
                                _Eric Maisel, author "Fearless Creating" 

"R&F Encaustic 101 Workshop & Open Studio" - San Rafael, CA

RileyStreet Art Store

1138 4th Street

San Rafael, CA

415 457 2787

"Encaustic 101 and Open Studio"
Instructor: Cyndy Goldman
3 Fridays: March 11, 18,  25
1:00 - 3:30pm
$90 per session
(please bring 6 encausticbord panels - maximum size 8x8)
All paints and tools included. 

Mini Encaustic Workshops are designed as a hands-on introduction to painting in this medium.  You do not need prior experience in this medium.  

30 minute demo and safety followed by open and assisted studio session for painting and working with tools. Mini Workshops are not comprehensive. This is for the artist who is curious about encaustic painting, has worked with hot wax, wants to experiment further, or artists looking for a refresher.

Full payment is required to register for this Mini Workshop/Open Studio. Workshop size is limited to 8.

Recent paintings on the new

Encaustibords.

Graphite, Wax & Thread

12"x12"x2"

Cyndy Goldman of R&F is a mixed media abstract painter. She has taught Encaustic Painting Workshops since 2006 and has comprehensive training at R&F Paints in Kingston, NY. Cyndy has been painting with encasutic paints since 2003. She is in the October 2010 issue of Art Works Magazine. Featured is her "Border Line" painting.

Graphite, Acrylic, Oil & Wax

36"x36"x2" on panel

Visit her website at html://www.cyndygoldmanstudio.com
Please contact Cyndy with questions or to register: (415) 806 5103 or sassypainter@yahoo.com

Encaustic Workshop-Sold Out Tomorrow! March in San Rafael, CA

Encaustic Techniques Workshop 

SOLD OUT

Saturday February 26th 1:00PM to 3:00PM

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 Cyndy Goldman of R&F Paints will be discussing the history of encaustic hot wax painting and the contemporary resurgence of encaustic. Cyndy will cover equipment, tools, supports, grounds, surface effects, layering and fusing methods. This demonstration will allow you to experience encaustic paint firsthand. Attendees will be provided with an Encausticbord and encaustic paint to experiment with.
Each attendee will receive a coupon for $10 off of a $50 purchase of R&F Encaustics from Art Supply Warehouse.
Registration is $10 per person.
Space is limited, so sign up today!

Cyndy Goldman is a Geometric Abstract Painter living and working in Los Angeles. You can see more of Cyndy's work and read her blog at http://cyndygoldmanstudio.com/

Art Supply Warehouse - Westminister, CA
http://www.artsupplywarehouse.com/catalyst.php

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Intro to Encaustic Mini Workshops

Rileystreet Art - San Rafael, CA

Ongoing Fridays - 1pm - 3:30pm

March 11, 18, 25 & April 1st

contact Cyndy at sassypainter@yahoo.com

The" Groove" & Painting

"Root"
20"x 20"
Acrylic & Oil
Canvas on Panel

"Modal Change"
24" x 48"
Acrylic & Oil
Canvas on Panel

The "groove" is a key component in my painting process.   

Wikipedia: 

Groove is the sense of propulsive rhythmic "feel" or sense of "swing" created by the interaction of the music played by a band's rhythm section(drums, electric bass or double bass, guitar, and keyboards). Groove is a consideration in genres such as salsa, funk, rock music, fusion, and soul. The word is often used to describe the aspect of certain music that makes one want to move, dance, or 'groove'.

Groove #1: "bass drum on beats 1 and 3 and snare drum on beats 2 and 4 of the measure...add eighth notes on the hi-hat".^[1]

Musicologists and other scholars began to analyze the concept of "groove" in the 1990s. They have argued that a "groove" is an "understanding of rhythmic patterning" or "feel" and "an intuitive sense" of "a cycle in motion" that emerges from "carefully aligned concurrent rhythmic patterns".

I have a passion for the groove!   Jazz/fusion of various genres (particularly piano).   Listening to musicians grooving with their intuitive sense of " aligned rhythmic patterns" affects and energizes my inner and outter response in the studio.  Showing up, preparing, concentrating,  a painting begins-- laying down a line, a form, a color, a surface. 

The groove of recurring pulses, structure in the pulses, repeat rhythm patterns, and the repeat of this "groove" beat transports me to a special zone.  Musicians call it "the groove", atheletes and artists sometimes relate this same feeling as being "in the zone".  Whether in the 'zone' or in the 'groove', an artist finds the hours passing quietly-- in painting, writing, performing or practicing their art form.  

 This new series  "Groove" reveals a different type of pattern and complexity. The comp and layers are appearing rhythmically repetitive and riff-like.  Some recent feedback on the work has been referenced to music.  It is satisfying to hear this response to the work. 

I use whatever paints I have and mix my own colors.  The form-color-harmony works itself out.  A lot of the time, I paint myself into a corner not knowing what's going to happen.  I have practiced not abandoning or prematurely destroying what isn't working.  I step away, let the painting breathe and return later or work on another piece.   These paintings are satisfyingly challenging as I push and pull the work to a new edge.  My work concerns making serial paintings with complex comps, surfaces and color relationships leading to a moving rhythmic field.

Here is a look at the working out of a painting.
(Below are a few evolving shots of "Compression 2").


 Process shot of a point when abandon & destroy arises.

The next session of painting my way out.

The form's influence on colors...  and, color's influence on forms....

The particular "groove" inspiring these paintings come from a long history of listening and spending time at the piano figuring out the complex compositions  of  "Joe Sample" -- an American pianist, keyboard player and composer (  one of the founding members of the Jazz Crusaders).

I am having fun with this new shift in the work & facinated with exploring more on music, color, form and painting.  

The Imperfect Art: Reflections on Jazz and Modern Culture”

Author & Musician Ted Gioia has this to say:

Errors will creep in, not only in form but also in execution; the improviser, if he sincerely attempts to be creative, will push himself into areas of expression which his techniques may be unable to handle. Too often the finished product will show moments of rare beauty intermixed with technical mistakes and aimless passages.

(Ted Gioia is one of the outstanding music historians in America & his most recent book is 

"The Birth (and the Death) of Cool").

Kandinsky's  "Concerning the Spiritual in Art" exerpt:
"Any realization of the inner working of colour and form is so far unconscious.  The subjection of composition to some geometrical form is no new idea.  Construction on a purely abstract basis is a slow business, and at first seemlingly blind and aimless.  The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul, so that he can test colours for themselves and not only by external expressions."

"I like painting -- it's like jazz -- it goes where it takes you"

                                     -Brian Eno 

(English musician, composer, record producer, music therorist, singer and visual artist)

 "The way we respond to color is similar to the way we respond to music: words fail us"

                                                                     - Robert Swain - American Painter