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The Saffron Gatherers, 40x30, ©lesliepetersonsapp
My newest piece, The Saffron Gatherers is inspired from an ancient fresco painting known by the same name.
It is 40x30 inches, using drawing, painting, inkjet transfers and many, many layers of acrylic medium to create a distressed, encaustic-like effect.
I was interested in recreating, but not duplicating, the figure of one youthful saffron gatherer, who I have taken to calling “My Girl".
It is 40x30 inches, using drawing, painting, inkjet transfers and many, many layers of acrylic medium to create a distressed, encaustic-like effect.
I was interested in recreating, but not duplicating, the figure of one youthful saffron gatherer, who I have taken to calling “My Girl".
The Beautiful Frescos of Thera
The Saffron Gatherers was painted in the ancient city of Akrotiri, on the island of Thera. Thera is now known as Santorini, the famous vacation destination. When you see the shape of Santorini, it’s pretty obvious it is part of a massive, somewhat scary, mostly submerged caldera.
Ancient Thera was occupied by the same people who lived on Crete, a people we call the Minoans.
The Pompeii of the Aegean
Around 1600 BCE, Thera blew its top.
The caldera collapsed into the sea, significantly changing the shape and size of the island, and causing huge tsunamis to race across the Mediterranean and hit Crete.
Thera, pre and post eruption.
Thera, now Santorini, today.
It Was Kind of a Big Deal.
Although it may not have destroyed the Minoan civilization, it probably weakened it to the extent that they were eventually taken over by the mainland Greek civilization of Mycenae. It may have even caused a volcanic winter that reached as far away as China.
Actually, there were a series of eruptions before the caldera collapsed. One of the first eruptions blew ash into the air and covered Akrotiri, which is why the fresco have been preserved.
Actually, there were a series of eruptions before the caldera collapsed. One of the first eruptions blew ash into the air and covered Akrotiri, which is why the fresco have been preserved.
The Frescos of Akrotiki
Ancient Akrotiri was packed with frescoes. Much like the more famous frescoes on Crete, these frescoes are uniquely beautiful and inspire love from many people.
I could probably spend the rest of my life making works of art solely on this small, decimated town.
Minoan Art- The Stuff of Dreams
As I said, the paintings from the Minoan civilization have sparked our collective imagination and inspired not only archeologists, but poets, artists, spiritualists, and pseudo-sociologists. It captures our imagination with such fervor, that it has led to a fair amount irresponsible scholarship. There has been wild speculations as to the beliefs, values and societal structure of the Minoans. Laymen and scholars alike have projected their fantasies of a peaceful, woman-centered society onto the vestiges of this long-past civilization-- a sort of ancient Age of Aquarius.
Bull-leaping fresco, Knossos, Crete (reconstructed) c1400 BCE
And Who Can Blame Them?
How much of this wishful thinking is actually true?
No one knows.
Yet, there is something truly unique about the art from the Minoans that cannot be denied.
Most art during that period, such as the ancient Egyptians or the Babylonians, was beautiful, but schematic and completely formalized.
No one knows.
Yet, there is something truly unique about the art from the Minoans that cannot be denied.
Most art during that period, such as the ancient Egyptians or the Babylonians, was beautiful, but schematic and completely formalized.
The art produced for these and other civilizations were “instruments of propaganda... To serve either the reputation of the immortals or the reputation after death of their earthly representatives”*
In contrast, “the freedom of movement and the sense of vitality which emanates from Minoan art, an art which is the creation of a less rigid society... adapted to a habitat in which motion contrast and sudden change predominate.." **
In short, the art of the Minoans is often winsome, spontaneous, individualistic, and even funny.
Painting the Murals
First, let’s talk about some of the conventions in the paintings of Thera. Because of the technology and pigments available at the time, they had a limited amount of colors to work with, only black,red, blue and yellow ochre. They got the most out of this limited palette by juxtaposing colors, along with only a bit of mixing. There was no use of green that is discernible.
Miniature frieze from Room 5 in the West House, Akrotiri.
Then, let’s talk about how they signified the identities of the figures.
"Adornant" Xeste 3
The skin of the women was white, simply drawing an outline on the white of the plaster wall. The men had reddish brown skin.
Boys with offerings, Xeste 3.
People of different ages had different hairstyles. Mature men and women have long, luxuriant black hair. Maturity is also expressed by a double chin and rolls of flesh on the stomach (very realistic!)
Young adults have short, curly hair.
Young adults have short, curly hair.
Children had shorn heads, which is indicated by a blue scalp. As they grow a little bit older, little sections of hair would be allowed to grow. So, they have little pigtails (or, what in the 1980’s we used to call rat-tails) coming out at sort of odd intervals.
Boys are often portrayed nude, while the girls are always clothed.
The Story of The Saffron Gatherers
The Saffron Gatherers is in a building called Xeste 3, and wraps around the walls of a room on the second floor called Room 3a. The north wall shows a majestic female figure seated on a dias. She is dressed magnificently and has a snake going up her back and over her hair. She is accompanied by what seems to be a Griffin. In front of her, a young woman and a monkey (monkeys are depicted doing human things on Thera- what fun!) pour crocuses out in offering to the woman. (This figure has been identified as the Goddess of Nature, the Potnia.)
Goddess of Nature, the Potnia, Xeste 3, Akrotiri.
But my image does not concern this scene. My girl is on the east wall.
She is one of the most famous figures from this archeological complex, and is often the image that is used on the cover of books or magazines devoted to art from the Minoan period.
The Saffron Gatherers. Fresco. 1600 BCE.
In a craggy landscape, two female figures are collecting crocuses. The stamen of the crocus flower is also known as saffron. Saffron has a number of uses, from seasoning, to medicine, to the dying of fabric- clearly a valuable commodity.
The woman on the left is a young adult, with short, black curls. She carries a basket, and as she collects crocuses, she looks back over her shoulder at her companion, with a stern, even annoyed, expression.
The next figure is who I depict, and that seems to be so loved by people around the world.
She is quite young, with a shaved head, a curling black forelock, and a sassy little ponytail.
She is clamoring after the older girl, who is doing a much more efficient job of picking saffron. She has the joyous, winsome expression of the young.
The interplay between the two figures creates a story, an intimate, vastly human moment.
She is clamoring after the older girl, who is doing a much more efficient job of picking saffron. She has the joyous, winsome expression of the young.
The interplay between the two figures creates a story, an intimate, vastly human moment.
I love the fact that in the same room that depicts a Goddess, there is also a scene where an older girl is telling a younger girl to hurry up.
My Process
I was interested in recreating, but not duplicating, this lovely, young gamine.
When drawing from some source material, a typical technique for an artist is to use a grid.
After creating a grid for the original image, you simply make a corresponding grid on the blank art substrate or page. This helps your eye to “map” where points are in the original image, and to objectively observe the shapes.
After creating a grid for the original image, you simply make a corresponding grid on the blank art substrate or page. This helps your eye to “map” where points are in the original image, and to objectively observe the shapes.
The rhythm of the original fresco is beautiful and I wanted to capture it, so I added diagonal lines that help describe the general shape and movement of the figure, and create a kind of underpinning, or ley lines.
In my research for this piece, I became attracted to the plan, or map of the ancient city of Akrotiri (seen above) where the frescos were found. I wanted to integrate it into the piece, and in so doing realized the shape of the plan echoed and complimented the shape of the figure. So I printed out a large print of the plan on rice paper, and transferred it over the figure.
The frescoes of Thera did not come intact. They were unearthed in tiny pieces, and methodically reassembled off-site, like a puzzle. When I see an image of The Saffron Gatherers, I'm viewing a heavily distressed image. I have no wish to "clean it up" and reproduce what I think it originally looked like. The fresco's partial destruction and the passage of time add to its appeal for me.
Like many people, I appreciate how aging affects the aesthetic appearance of an object. People often mimic the look by using clever techniques (remember the "shabby chic" craze?)
I'm no expert at creating distressed surfaces, but I think I'm on my way to becoming one!
I'm no expert at creating distressed surfaces, but I think I'm on my way to becoming one!
The next series of steps was to create layer after layer of effects, attempting to express this aesthetic of distressed beauty.
I might put a layer of heavy matte acrylic gel, followed by a layer of light molding paste. Molding paste is an acrylic gel mixed with marble dust, and it has a lovely chalky, milky, yet luminous quality to it. Then I might redraw the figure again, then add a bit of color. Then start the layering again.
Here is My Girl, all covered with matte gel. It will dry translucent.
Here is My Girl, all covered with matte gel. It will dry translucent.
An Amalgamation of Elements
I got playful with the imagery with some additions.
At the top of the panel, I painted in a blue strip. I thought it would be either a blue sky, or a glimpse of the sea. This is a way to express that My Girl lived on an island. She would have been surrounded by sea and sky (this is Santorini, after all!) Borrowing from a different Thera fresco, the mural from Room 5 in The West House, I painted dancing dolphins.
At the top of the panel, I painted in a blue strip. I thought it would be either a blue sky, or a glimpse of the sea. This is a way to express that My Girl lived on an island. She would have been surrounded by sea and sky (this is Santorini, after all!) Borrowing from a different Thera fresco, the mural from Room 5 in The West House, I painted dancing dolphins.
In the lower left corner, I added a scheme of the island before and after the eruption, showing how dramatically it changed the footprint of the island.
(The tiny red star is where they think the epicenter of the eruption was)
(The tiny red star is where they think the epicenter of the eruption was)
I find it fascinating how the lively elements of My Girl, the dancing dolphins and saffron flowers, create a striking contrast with the immense destruction from this catastrophic event.
One of my finishing touches was to take the powdery crumbs of a bright orange pastel and sprinkle it various places, to signify the saffron. I doubt they would willingly disperse the precious crop so wastefully, but I felt it would be another whimsical element, adding to the magical atmosphere of my imaginings.
The Saffron Gatherers, 40x30, ©lesliepetersonsapp
The Tiny Book of Thera
Along with this large painting, I also have been creating a small, handmade book to help work out my ideas.
I found myself working on the book and the larger piece simultaneously, each aiding the other.
At the time of this entry, the book is a work in progress. If you click HERE, you can see a short blog entry about the book, and see a video of me flipping through the pages.
In the future, I may start another large work based on some of the images in the book- who knows?
In the future, I may start another large work based on some of the images in the book- who knows?
* Christos Doumas, The Wall Paintings of Thera, (Kapon Editions, 1992) Pg 22
** Ibid
** Ibid
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A while ago, I took an amazing journey to visit prehistoric cave paintings in the Dordogne Valley in France. Not only did I and my companions get personalized tours of the caves, we also got to create art to express and process the what we experienced.
The artmaking was facilitated by Kirah Van Sickle. She had us make tiny, handmade books, which we adorned using stencils, watercolor pencils, collage, and monotypes.
The artmaking was facilitated by Kirah Van Sickle. She had us make tiny, handmade books, which we adorned using stencils, watercolor pencils, collage, and monotypes.
This way of making art was so fun, and such an effective form of expression that I decided to continue this playful practice and make books as a sort of “sketchbook”, a place to experiment and work out my thoughts.
I started one to accompany my journey through creating The Saffron Gatherers.
I started one to accompany my journey through creating The Saffron Gatherers.
I found myself working on the book and the larger piece simultaneously, each aiding the other.
At the time of this entry, the book is a work in progress! In the future, I may start another large piece inspired by some of the pages of this book.
At the time of this entry, the book is a work in progress! In the future, I may start another large piece inspired by some of the pages of this book.
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I just got back from my Dream Vacation That is Not a Vacation.
My journey into the caves.
My journey into the caves.
Bison sculpture, 15,000 BCE
I and 10 other people, some artists, some not, gathered in the Dordogne Valley, France.
The Dordogne Valley has one of the highest concentrations of Paleolithic art in the world.
With the guidance of Dr. Carol Aalbers, we had special, personalized tours in multiple caves containing Paleolithic paintings.
But we didn’t just go visit the caves. We then took time to process what we experienced together using art, movement, and dream exploration.
But we didn’t just go visit the caves. We then took time to process what we experienced together using art, movement, and dream exploration.
The Caves
I toured five caves, plus a rock shelter.
I realize that I am an artist who blogs, not a travel blogger, so I will simply tell you which caves I visited, then talk about the impact they had on me.
By the way- photography is not allowed inside the caves, so I am showing images I have pulled off websites devoted to the caves.
I realize that I am an artist who blogs, not a travel blogger, so I will simply tell you which caves I visited, then talk about the impact they had on me.
By the way- photography is not allowed inside the caves, so I am showing images I have pulled off websites devoted to the caves.
Aurochs Paintings in Lascaux IV
Me at the Lascaux interactive museum.
Lascaux Cave is one of the most impressive and famous Paleolithic art caves in the world. Its so famous that it had to be closed to the public- the breath of so many visitors deteriorated the paintings. So, several replicas have been made. Lascaux is the only cave I saw on this trip that was a replica.
Although the replica is truly impressive, being in the actual caves is incomparable.
Below are the four real caves I got to see.
Below are the four real caves I got to see.
I also got to see Cap Blanc, which is an “abri,” or rock shelter that has relief carvings. They were probably also painted, but the pigment has been worn away over time.
Cap Blanc
A Profound Experience
Imagine going underground into a cave. The atmosphere is totally different than the world above. It’s cool, it’s dark, it’s damp. You shuffle along with your tour companions, contemporary human beings with backpacks and rain jackets.
Pech Merle hand print, 18,000 BCE
Then, suddenly, you see the outline of a human hand, created by a person holding their hand up to the rock, and blowing liquid pigment, leaving a negative hand-print.
Imagine you knew the person who made that print has been dead for 20,000 years. And here you are, looking at it. It looks fresh and new, like the person pressed their hand to that rock the day before.
Now, imagine not just hand prints, but mysterious graphic signs, dots, and beautiful, elegant drawings.
For me, it was an extraordinary, almost mystical experience.
For me, it was an extraordinary, almost mystical experience.
The Artmaking
In between the days saw the caves, we would stay at our B&B and make art. The artmaking was facilitated by Kirah Van Sickle. She guided me through art processes using materials that I am not used to, using colors I wouldn’t normally choose, in a format I’ve never done before.
First, I created two small paintings on paper, using stencils, little sponge rollers, watercolor pencils, collage, and something called a gelli plate, which is a way to make monotypes.
First, I created two small paintings on paper, using stencils, little sponge rollers, watercolor pencils, collage, and something called a gelli plate, which is a way to make monotypes.
Then, we folded up large pieces of paper to make little tiny 3x3 inch books, which we then adorned, using the same materials.
The materials and approach was entirely different than what I normally do, and it brought me away from my routine- and my artistic tricks! I was forced to become more imaginative and loose, and it was a lot of fun.
The Essence of Art
Why do art? Why do I do what I do?
I struggle with making art I describe as "performative," by which I mean, result-oriented. I can easily slide into the territory of doing something for the sake of approval.
So, there’s a tension, because on the one hand, I want to do artwork that’s good quality and appeals to people. But on the other hand, I want to make art that purely authentic and comes from my heart.
Going into those caves and seeing work from artists/shamans from tens of thousands of years ago really brought me into direct connection with the fundamental drive humans have to dream, to communicate, to create and express ourselves. It reminds me that this is my primary missive, sales and accolades be damned.
I struggle with making art I describe as "performative," by which I mean, result-oriented. I can easily slide into the territory of doing something for the sake of approval.
So, there’s a tension, because on the one hand, I want to do artwork that’s good quality and appeals to people. But on the other hand, I want to make art that purely authentic and comes from my heart.
Going into those caves and seeing work from artists/shamans from tens of thousands of years ago really brought me into direct connection with the fundamental drive humans have to dream, to communicate, to create and express ourselves. It reminds me that this is my primary missive, sales and accolades be damned.
Lascaux, ca. 15,000 BCE
I also came away with this idea that my drawing is enough.
The images I saw in those caves were so elegant and sophisticated, yet so simple. Even the “incomplete” drawings had a completeness to them.
The images I saw in those caves were so elegant and sophisticated, yet so simple. Even the “incomplete” drawings had a completeness to them.
I’m a better drawer than I am a painter. I have always felt as though presenting "just drawings" was never acceptable, and that I had to gussy them up with a bunch of paint.
A drawing I did of an Etruscan tomb painting
Are there ways that I could present finished work that features my drawing? Does it have to be anything other than what it simply is?
This trip was a profound experience, and I feel very different. My hope is that this difference will continue to grow in my heart and mind, and that it will inform my artmaking from this time forward.
This trip was a profound experience, and I feel very different. My hope is that this difference will continue to grow in my heart and mind, and that it will inform my artmaking from this time forward.
Now, off to make some art!
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Ah, the life of an artist.
Lately, I have been feeling like I’m going down a stream, with one foot on one boat, and one foot on another boat.
I have started my new Archeology Art series.
I have also had a very busy show schedule, all focused on my Film Noir Art series.
I have started my new Archeology Art series.
I have also had a very busy show schedule, all focused on my Film Noir Art series.
A tiny doodle from my journal.
One boat is Film Noir, the other boat is Archeology.
One boat is public-facing promotion, the other is private art practice.
One boat is a confident beating of the drum, the other is diffident exploration.
One boat is public-facing promotion, the other is private art practice.
One boat is a confident beating of the drum, the other is diffident exploration.
Look! I'm somebody!
Over four months, I had FIVE different shows.
- In total, I had 4 group shows and a solo show.
- I spoke on stage.
- I was filmed by our local community television station.
- I had an artists salon.
- I won an award.
- My art was on the cover of an online magazine.
- All the while, I executed a social media BLITZ about each and every bit.
Meanwhile, I was carving out an hour here or there to do some deeply challenging experimentation in the studio.
With my new series, I feel particularly sensitive because I’ve never done anything like it before.
The result is, I've totally stalled out on my social media posts.
The result is, I've totally stalled out on my social media posts.
Behind the curtain...
Like a lot of things, posting on social media is easier the more you do it, and the less you do it, well... the less you do it.
Social Media- a blessing and a curse.
Having a social media presence is practically a must for an artist these days.
I have long since came to terms with the fact that I am not, and probably never will be, a social media sensation.
I have long since came to terms with the fact that I am not, and probably never will be, a social media sensation.
My Instagram Page
Nevertheless, for an artist like me, posting regularly is almost like a portfolio in itself. It lends "legitimacy" to an artist, like a calling card, showing prospective collectors or gallerists that you are active, responsive, interesting, and aware of your public.
There is even a rule of thumb about having a certain percentage of "work in progress" (WIP) content, finished artwork content, and "slice of life" content to have on your social media page for maximum engagement.
Typically, I document the intimate details of how I develop a piece of art with photos and videos, and post them on social media as I go along.
There is even a rule of thumb about having a certain percentage of "work in progress" (WIP) content, finished artwork content, and "slice of life" content to have on your social media page for maximum engagement.
Typically, I document the intimate details of how I develop a piece of art with photos and videos, and post them on social media as I go along.
But you know folks, I just can't seem to make myself do it.
Despite of, or maybe because of, having to appear confident for all the shows I've been having, I have been particularly reluctant to show my process like I normally would.
What I need to do, is start afresh.
What I need to do, is start afresh.
A Social Media "Sabbatical"
How about if I let it all go for a while? What if I trusted my "audience" will still be there, even if I am not constantly trying to grab their attention?
What if I gave myself a break?
Remember when? Remember before social media when we went about our days without that constant buzz in the background?
What if I gave myself a break?
Remember when? Remember before social media when we went about our days without that constant buzz in the background?
Fortunately, I am old enough that I do remember those times. Bringing back a bit of that peace and privacy may be exactly what I need.
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Libraries aren't just for books!
I’m very excited to say that I have been invited to participate in the Lake Oswego Reads program.
The Lake Oswego Public Library organizes this annual, immersive program that encourages all members of the community to read the same book, discuss its message, and celebrate an atmosphere of learning amongst all age groups. Additionally, a small group of artists are invited to read the chosen book and create a piece inspired by it.
This year the book is The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson.
In addition to being an author, Wilson is the former Executive Director for Dream of Wild Health, an Indigenous non-profit farm, and the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance, a national coalition of tribes and organizations working to create sovereign food systems for Native people. Wilson is a Mdewakanton descendant, enrolled on the Rosebud Reservation.
The Seed Keeper
This dense, multi-layered story is about Rosalee Ironwing Meister, a Native American Dakota woman, and her quest to become whole. Interwoven into the story is the recounting of her ancestors’ struggle to survive the “Indian Wars,” relocations, boarding schools, and the collective trauma caused by these events. Throughout the book, the theme of seeds, traditions being handed down, and the evolution of farming techniques binds it all together.
My inspiration and interpretation
In this piece, I integrate several objects and moments in time into a single image.
©lesliepetersonsapp The Seed Keeper
Set in a pristine snowscape, a grove of trees is in the distance. A solitary set of footsteps lead into the empty expanse. A pictograph of a house, almost like a child’s drawing, is simultaneously an envelope, and hovers like a specter over the scene. In contrast, warm and earthy tones depict a cob of corn laying on the earth, seeds huddling in the soil, and a cornstalk reaching toward the sun.
The books protagonist, Rosalie Ironwing is a loner. She has had a tumultuous and insecure young life.
She meets and marries a white farmer, John Meister when she is very young. John is a deeply flawed human being, who nevertheless is able provide Rosalee with a place of rest, security, and unconditional regard, even love.
The scene in the book that created the most vivid visual image for me takes place early in their marriage. On a clear, cold day, she attempts to walk through deep snow to a grove of trees across a large field, but cannot manage it. John silently provides snow shoes for her. With dogged persistence, she is eventually able to reach the grove of trees.
About this same moment in the narrative, in the pantry of John’s old, crumbling white farmhouse, Rosalie finds an envelope full of seeds that John’s mother had stashed many years before. In time, through trial and error, she learns how to grow a garden.
The scene in the book that created the most vivid visual image for me takes place early in their marriage. On a clear, cold day, she attempts to walk through deep snow to a grove of trees across a large field, but cannot manage it. John silently provides snow shoes for her. With dogged persistence, she is eventually able to reach the grove of trees.
About this same moment in the narrative, in the pantry of John’s old, crumbling white farmhouse, Rosalie finds an envelope full of seeds that John’s mother had stashed many years before. In time, through trial and error, she learns how to grow a garden.
When John dies, she goes on a quest to make peace with her past, and in so doing regains contact with her family and her heritage.
Her aunt Darlene presents Rosalie and her son with seeds and a tiny, wizened corncob, kept in a small pouch.
I see the envelope, the pouches, and even the old white farmhouse as being safe places for seeds and souls to rest and incubate. From that place of rest, growth is possible.
Creating an encaustic-like effect
The technique I used to make this piece is part of a new method of artmaking for me. I wished to create an encaustic-like effect by using layers of different types of acrylic media.
Encaustic is painting with hot wax. It is an ancient painting medium that has seen a rebirth since the 1990's. Because it is wax, it has a beautiful, foggy opacity. The wax can be applied and fused in layers, so there are often multiple images peeking through, creating depth.
First, I drew and painted the main image. Then I covered it with Golden Clear Leveling Gel, then Golden Heavy Matte Gel. Then I drew the house/envelope. I added more color and detail to it. Then, using a scumbling technique, I intensified the white snow in the center of the image by adding titanium white and pearlescent silver. Many of the effects and details cannot be properly seen in a photograph, because there is depth iridescence and a wee bit of sparkle.
Encaustic is painting with hot wax. It is an ancient painting medium that has seen a rebirth since the 1990's. Because it is wax, it has a beautiful, foggy opacity. The wax can be applied and fused in layers, so there are often multiple images peeking through, creating depth.
First, I drew and painted the main image. Then I covered it with Golden Clear Leveling Gel, then Golden Heavy Matte Gel. Then I drew the house/envelope. I added more color and detail to it. Then, using a scumbling technique, I intensified the white snow in the center of the image by adding titanium white and pearlescent silver. Many of the effects and details cannot be properly seen in a photograph, because there is depth iridescence and a wee bit of sparkle.
The Lake Oswego Reads Art Exhibition will hang at The Dee Denton Gallery in the Lakewood Center for the Arts, then move to multiple venues throughout the state of Oregon.
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A while back, I wrote a blog post called “The Poky Little Puppy” and an accompanying email called “In Defense of the Slow.” I talked about how, at 40 years of age, I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, Inattentive Type. This realization has helped me to better understand some of the challenges I have had in navigating this life.
But ADHD is also closely associated with having a creative mind. Artistic mind, attention deficit disorder, who knows where one ends and the other begins?
Distracted Mind, Artistic Mind
Just like Little Red Riding Hood, my mind is not good at staying on the path. It wanders off and picks flowers, attracted by the next, and the next, and the next more captivating bloom.
I’ve got a terrible memory. I often forget essential aspects of whatever task I am performing. (Recently I set off to buy new glasses, leaving my prescription at home.)
My mind is not organized. Information comes in the form of so many scraps of paper, fluttering about in the wind. Projects or professions that involve any complexity seems like an insurmountable undertaking.
But, I recently learned something sort of fun about my mind, and how it likes to organize itself.
I was trying to develop some sort of regular, consistent, doable habit in regards to posting on social media about my art. “Everyone” was buzzing about social media.
I was trying to develop some sort of regular, consistent, doable habit in regards to posting on social media about my art. “Everyone” was buzzing about social media.
You know, “Everyone," don’t you? “Everyone” says:
And so on, and so on. All that resulted from this was a panicky sense of dread.
- You should post everyday so you can be in good with the “algorithm.”
- Reels are the next big thing. Everyone is doing reels.
- Stories are the thing. You’ve got to do stories.
- First you post, then you share it all over the other “platforms.”
- Every "platform" has specific demands, like on Twitter you can have only four pictures, but Instagram you can have ten. Stories videos are only 15 seconds long, but Reels are 90.
And so on, and so on. All that resulted from this was a panicky sense of dread.
Enter, the Mind Map
Here is all is. I spent hours on this silly thing.
I tried to impress my friends by sharing it with them, but they didn’t even want to LOOK at it, and who could blame them? It seems overly elaborate and faintly ridiculous now, but the one most important thing is also true: now I know.
Now I know. Social media is no longer confusing to me. I may need a reminder of the specifics, but the tiny scraps of paper have settled down into an orderly pattern. Now I understand.
As I just wrote about in my post “Evolve or Die,” I revealed that I am starting on a new body of work, inspired by archeology and deep history. It’s really exciting, and really scary. For the first time in many years, I genuinely have no idea what I am doing. It will be an adventure into the unknown.
I am an avid consumer of archeology media and entertainment. Over the years, I have absently absorbed scraps of information. Over time, these bits of information started to formulate themselves into a loose, fluttery vision of the world.
I became filled with the desire to understand these little scraps in context, in an order, like maybe a mind map… or maybe… a time-line.
I became filled with the desire to understand these little scraps in context, in an order, like maybe a mind map… or maybe… a time-line.
Enter, the Time-line
Fueled with this new obsession, I knew that I was not going to be able to commence on my new journey of art-making without tackling this. I took a large roll of paper, rolled it out on my wall and tacked in down.
I decided on a very general form: seven areas of the planet, drawn with seven horizontal lines. The time demarcations will be the vertical axis. But, I am still not sure what time periods I am going to depict, and where they will land. So, I started to write bits of information I find intriguing on bits of rice paper, and started to tape them up at various places. Everything at this point is in flux and movable.
I feel like a mad scientist.
I decided on a very general form: seven areas of the planet, drawn with seven horizontal lines. The time demarcations will be the vertical axis. But, I am still not sure what time periods I am going to depict, and where they will land. So, I started to write bits of information I find intriguing on bits of rice paper, and started to tape them up at various places. Everything at this point is in flux and movable.
I feel like a mad scientist.
Enter, the Mad Scientist
I have recently learned from The Google that there is a thing called “The Crazy Wall.” It’s a meme, stemming from the media’s dramatic use of an “evidence board” real detectives use to solve crimes. It was used to most dramatic effect in the 2001 movie *“A Beautiful Mind.”
Scene from A Beautiful Mind, 2001
For the first time in a long while, I am creating something that I have no real intention of putting on display or trying to sell. Somehow, I just know I need to do this. I need to capture and contain what I know, but cannot yet use. Something that simply comes out of my beautiful mind.
My beautiful, inefficient, scattered, forgetful, creative, artistic mind.
My beautiful, inefficient, scattered, forgetful, creative, artistic mind.
A video of me about to dive into the time-line.
*Please note that A Beautiful Mind is a movie about schizophrenia, not about a mild case of neurodivergence, like I have. I am using the evidence board in the movie as a symbol for the way I process information, and is not intended to make light of schizophrenia or mental illness and its effects.
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A series on how film noir inspires my art- Final Entry!
So, Why Noir?
Being an artist may look like fun, but it is tough.
Putting yourself out there for others to see is perennially disquieting. In order to make it all worth it, the subject and method has to be captivating.
Putting yourself out there for others to see is perennially disquieting. In order to make it all worth it, the subject and method has to be captivating.
©lesliepetersonsapp Miss Darger II 24x30
I am compelled to tell a story with my art. No matter if it is based on Shakespeare, mythology, or film noir, I am driven to explore and share the landscape of my imagination.
©lesliepetersonsapp The Knave of Swords 30x20
Similar to the myths and stories of old, the characters are driven by forces larger than themselves and are so very, very human. Often being brought down by their own drives and weaknesses, they are driven by a futile effort to cheat Fate. The themes are undying elements of what it is to be human.
By utilizing the elastic armature of the elements of film noir, I create art that is charged with longing, adventure, romance, and intrigue. I am able to expand and deepen my skills as a person and an artist, all the while having the time of my life.
©lesliepetersonsapp Circle Mirror 36x36
For now, I am entirely caught up in the dark labyrinth of film noir.
But who knows what future stories my art will tell?
But who knows what future stories my art will tell?
Need more noir?
Check out The Film Noir Foundation, which restores films noir and shows them at their film festivals.
It's founder, the Czar of Noir, Eddie Muller, is also a host on TCM's Noir Alley, which shows films noir every Saturday night and Sunday mornings.
Check out The Film Noir Foundation, which restores films noir and shows them at their film festivals.
It's founder, the Czar of Noir, Eddie Muller, is also a host on TCM's Noir Alley, which shows films noir every Saturday night and Sunday mornings.
Why Noir? is a series! Read 'em all.
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A series on how film noir inspires my art- Entry #9
Why is Shakespeare still so popular after all this time? It's because his stories and characters are timeless. There have been countless versions of his plays where the settings and characters’ identities are changed to bring new interpretations to the story presented.
The characters in noir are as vivid and fundamental as an archetype. They are so solid they can be dressed up in any outer appearance and still resonate, still express the noir sensibility.
The characters in noir are as vivid and fundamental as an archetype. They are so solid they can be dressed up in any outer appearance and still resonate, still express the noir sensibility.
There are a profusion of examples of crime novels that star characters of many kinds, from the famous private eye Easy Rollins, to tough gay guy/investigator Dave Brandstetter.
The themes are universal and can be ascribed to any individual. So, I can change the outer identities of my characters, and it can still be noir.
©lesliepetersonsapp Bars 16x20
The scenes in my artwork are presented without irony and are imbued with an immediacy which invites the viewer to experience the scene as a contemporary moment.
They don’t coyly refer to themselves as being "film noir" or use signifiers to make them seem like cultural artifacts. There is no breaking down of the fourth wall.
It is as if we could walk through the picture frame and become part of the action. If this could be possible, what would we see, and who would be there?
©lesliepetersonsapp Incognito 10x8
©lesliepetersonsapp The Hanged Man 32x18
It is easy for me to depict white, cis-gender women. It’s more of a stretch to depict scenes with people outside my personal lived experience.
But the figures in my work and in my imagination sometimes take on a life of their own, and want to be expressed as they are: male, non-white, queer...
To not follow these impulses would, in effect, be negating their existence.
Whether I handle this successfully is a question I continually ask myself.
The adaptability of film noir characters allows me to enlarge the limits of my understanding and expression.
©lesliepetersonsapp Keys 40x48
Why Noir? is a series! Read 'em all.
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A series on how film noir inspires my art- Entry #8
When we are engrossed in a mystery novel, the complicated plot tangles we must unravel keep us entranced.
©lesliepetersonsapp Pursuit 24x48
The characters in noir are caught in a web of intrigue and moral ambiguity. Their exploits involve daring and danger, plot twists and betrayals. They usually believe they can manipulate a situation to their advantage over another.
The dream I weave in my paintings is a version of myself who is, in a word: clever.
Very unlike who I really am.
The dream I weave in my paintings is a version of myself who is, in a word: clever.
Very unlike who I really am.
In my artwork, the space can be complicated and sometimes difficult to navigate. The claustrophobic, multi-layered space illustrate the sometimes-turgid complexity of our minds and relationships.
The identity of figures is often obscured, sometimes visually competing with shadows that seem more alive than they are.
©lesliepetersonsapp Search 48x40
The hall of mirrors scene, The Lady From Shanghai
Mirrors, doorways and windows proliferate, creating dazzling illusions, and act as apertures into other worlds. The dark, chiaroscuro lighting symbolizes obscured meanings and secrets withheld.
Like getting into a good novel or movie, my paintings invite you to take time and decipher what is being presented.
©lesliepetersonsapp Many a Moon 38x38
Why Noir? is a series! Read 'em all.
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A series on how film noir inspires my art- Entry #7
A long time ago, a wise friend counseled me, saying “Romance is about NOT being fulfilled, it’s about longing.”
©lesliepetersonsapp Vacancy 48x40
The characters in film noir practice a lot of bad behavior. They smoke and drink, lie, cheat, extort and manipulate.
©lesliepetersonsapp Urgent 48x24
I, on the other hand, have developed a preference for a life of minimal drama. Life is too damn short to spend it with worry and strife.
Yet, in much the same way someone may like a good war movie, yet has no desire to engage in combat, many of us achieve a certain catharsis by watching the sufferings of the glamorous figures in a film noir.
My art is charged with longing, drama, sexual tension, taboos, and covert couplings. Like a private eye, snapping a picture through a window, we espy people in places they are not supposed to be, or with someone they ought not to be with.
You could say I vicariously through my own art.
As Phyllis and Walter said in this famous exchange in Double Indemnity:
Phyllis: “We're both rotten.”
Walter: “Only you're a little more rotten.”
Double Indemnity
Why Noir? is a series! Read 'em all.