Looking Through

Studio Reflection 3 in a Series of 12

This painting puzzled me for quite a while. My daughter thought I should call it Fire Glass, and although I liked the name, it didn’t feel like mine. One of my YouTube subscribers described it as a “fried egg in hell” and once that was said, it was pretty hard for me to stop seeing it! But a fried egg was not the only thing I saw in this piece.

Like most of the artwork in this series, I start out by applying many layers of random old artwork and scrap paper and then sanding into the dried layers. After that I add paint and other marks, responding to what appears through the sanding process; I really don’t have any idea where the work is heading. Knowing when to stop is always a challenge, but once I think the piece is physically finished, I like to think about what it means. Because, for me, it’s not completely finished until it has meaning.

To me, the focal point of this piece seems like an opening into something vast, a window into an immense mysterious space. At the same time, the circular form also reads like a distant planet hanging quietly beyond the energy, warmth, and movement surrounding it. Somehow, that circular glow is both opening and object, drawing me toward it.

As I searched for a title, that glowing focal point reminded me of an opening from this world into the mysterious realms of the science fiction movies and novels I’ve always loved. Looking Through represents the wonder and curiosity I’ve always felt about the unknown. I love imagining what might exist beyond what I can see.

One thing I’ve learned from this series is that patience, for me, is an essential part of making art. I’m not simply waiting for glue and paint to dry; I’m waiting to discover its meaning—and from that, its title.

What do you see in this piece? What title would you give it? (And thanks for reading!)

~Cynthia