The Planting of Ideas

Art as a Visual Mind Map of Wonderings

Planting visual seeds

Before I start a new drawing, painting or piece of art. I start with an idea.

When placing elements to my girls, I am planting seeds of ideas, each placement creates new roots to intertwine with. Its a planting of intended growth.

When starting a new drawing or sketch I often start with a base idea, be it ‘summer fruit’ or ‘loneliness’. This is my first seed, she has been planted. All other branches of ideas follow, sowing out paths to happenings or wonderings. Some of these paths blossom into manifestation some of them wither out. I draw out imagery that is then used to represent these new seeds and forthcoming of the new ideas.

In a way, perhaps a very big way, a lot of my work is a visual mind map of ideas. To me, they represent a complete narrative that tells the tale of such a subject, but most of the story remains hidden in the tangled web of the hair. I like to imagine that the person that will buy my art will create there own beautiful and curious tale from my imagery.

When I have finished this piece of art, I will then harvest the ideas that I want to explore more or that I am still intrigued or excited by and resow these seeds of creation into my next piece of artwork.