May 24, 2013
14th entry, Bern
Once a month I visit the „Quelle» in Bern to meet people who would like to get to know the artist. When I’m done hanging up new paintings and when I find some time for myself, I write in my artist’s diary. The distance to my studio helps me to find the inner calm necessary to gather my thoughts and to write them down. Only now I notice that my hands are dyed in yellow, white and pink shades because of the oil paint I used. It will take a few more days for them to be clean again.
It has been a very intensive week. I created five large-scale sound paintings in oil and used my hands as instruments without considering how I should come to grips with the different colors. I thrust my hands into a five kilo barrel of paint, take the paint out and mix it with turpentine, until it takes on a buttery consistence. Then I put it onto canvass using my bare hands, finish it using different materials like pieces of cloth, wooden spatulas, sponges, sand or brushes, knead it and forget all about myself. How wonderful!
Five large-scale sound paintings in one week, I hardly dare to mention it. But it is possible if the circumstances are right. One of the sound paintings I did as a commissioned work to the music of Whitney Houston. I concentrated on it for six weeks until in my mind’s eye I saw the picture and especially the colors. Then it was just a matter of birthing it onto canvass. Sound paintings come into existence when I connect to music and when I see the picture in my mind’s eye. Then – and only then – the picture is ready to appear in this world. 23 sound paintings have come into existence so far and in two to three weeks the first ones will be shown on my website.
I am in an in-between state of being exhausted and “it is done”. So I treat myself to a small amount of my favorite chocolates: plum truffles…