It is Written / by patrick pryor

It is Written, 36x60 in.jpg

It is Written, acrylic and mixed media on canvas (36x60 inches) is a painting from a series of works called the Tablet Series and evokes imagery of architectural plans, schematics, diagrams, and a dense layered visual space where there is a lot going on, but the over feeling is of peace and calm.

It’s one of my favorite works from the series because of how it seems to move from simplicity to complexity and back again. It is a joy to look at and to be with.

I build up the surface of the canvas with a pattern of lines made with masking tape, and then as with other works in this series, I cover up the thick grey lines with white paint, let it dry and then sand it down to reveal the thick brush strokes of grey lines and they sharp outline from the masking tape. I continue to bury them in paint, and sand them out, and layer shapes and drawings over them until the final image reveals itself. It is an intuitive process, and often changes direction throughout the making of it. I never know exactly where it will end up, and I love that the most - I love to be surprised. Life throws us some surprises for sure - but most of the time we have our predictable routines - we know what to expect from friends and family and so it is appealing to engage with something like an artwork that seems to have an unpredictable form even though as the maker of the thing - I have complete control over it. Perhaps our control - in life, and in our respective work is illusory.