Wasting art supplies: a reflection

Today I came across this blog post by Seth Apter on the work of Hannelore Baron, of whom I had not heard before. Her work reminded me of my efforts to jumpstart something here in my study by “wasting art supplies” (here, here, and here).

[tl;dr: Use trash/recyclable/cheap materials to create art that you can just toss in the recycling bin once you’re done with it. But do read that first post.]

These kinds of collage/assemblages from the likes of Baron, Joseph Cornell, Cy Twombly, and others always fascinate me. Their textures, their complexities, their elliptical presentation all make me want to study them closely and — dare I say? — STEAL FROM THE BEST.

They provoke in me a kind of inverse “Why, I could do that” reaction; no, I can’t do that, but I can certainly use the same strategies to explore my materials and æsthetics. (Pro tip: So can you.)

My experience with the process was a reaffirmation of the whole ABORTIVE ATTEMPTS cycle, and I found myself exploring the recyclable materials in much the same way that Al Petelin describes his improvisational drawing process: “an unconscious, uncontrolled process in a meditative form when I don't think about what I do and think and try not to think about what I don't think and do — this is some kind of putting myself in a trance and what comes out in the end I try not to control myself: lines, images and solutions are created by themselves.”

Some of my results:

All of which is to say: Go look at Hannelore Baron’s work. Save those Amazon mailing pouches. Buy some cheapo art supplies.

Then waste them.