Making Marks

When I talk myself and my work, I often speak in terms of “making marks”. I heard these words several years ago when I first started making photogravures. A fellow printmaker talked about finding ways to mark plates. It resonated with me and felt right. I suspect printmakers throughout the ages spoke of it. 

I found myself photographing a tree trunk this past weekend. It was not the trunk that called to me but more the marks that have been made on it in various ways over time, a long time. Some were wounds, some came to be naturally, and a few seemed to be made by humans along the way. OK, so maybe not all that remarkable. I get it. But it started me thinking about making art, marks on paper in my case, and why I feel compelled to make them. Compelled may not be the best term. It feels like I cannot, not make them. I am driven, lucky maybe, to possess this inner need to lend my hand and heart to making art. These days more than ever I want to make pictures that I’ve not seen or made myself, a document of what I did today. Sort of.  You may have guessed I am not sure what outcome I expect or want, but universally I want to feel good about it. 

As I continued to muse about this tree trunk and all of the above I remembered some drawings Kathleen and I viewed in a cave in France. Some human being from a very long time ago felt the need to make marks. Right on the wall, straight from the heart and their driven mind. They had no reference to know if the drawing was good or bad art, proper art to be collected. They made it because they couldn’t not make it and they felt good about it (I suspect). One cave artist placed his hand on the wall and blew some pigment on the hand and wall making a silhouette. The term pochoir came later, for me, I smile knowing that this person made the mark without knowing what it might be called. Or how important it would become.

All of this adds up to one thing. If you want to be and artist the single  most important thing is to make work, work you cannot resist. Do it now my friends you will not regret it, I promise.

Be well, 

Ray