BrittConley.com

The Overture

Britt — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:51:24 +0000

Have a 4 x 6′ canvas that is about to get some serious action as I bring this up to paint as well as creating a far larger drawing on a very nice rag paper. Currently pulling together my ideas and sketches to begin the final works of one of my projects. This isn’t even the big project I keep alluding to! LOL. Just a personal side one that is very important to me.

The Overture © Britt Conley

Britt

In and of Itself

Britt — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 05:20:09 +0000

As mentioned previously, I’m working on numerous projects right now. One of which is simple shapes. (http://brittconley.com/2012/03/05/mobius-stripped/) They counter the mental haul I’m having to endure over my big project and allow me to explore the purity of shape for shapes sake as opposed to how I’m using it in the larger project.

For a long time, I’ve been working on how to deal with the weighting, coddling and touchable connect-ability of spaces. I’m currently working on the opposite. How do line function? How does it get it’s forward propulsion and how does it self generate enough visual lift and thrust to begin again. How does it work with melody? How is the energy most beautifully built and what does that architecture look like? This is all part of my personal summer project in service of the philosophic and architectural realities I need to understand to best construct the larger year two bigger project. Related but different.

These are all problem solving sets for me. I’m looking for the architectural pressure points that can secure the entiety of the lines melodic thrust without weighing it down or anchoring its propulsion with some sort of secondary buttressing. Below, the main tented lower arch is pressurized by the weight of the vertical oval which compresses it just above it’s grounding connection. This thrusts the weight up into the left side of the arch while sending the diminished overflow of energy overtop and downward to the right. The curving inward of the right side of the arc creates a catch for the rest of the energy caddy corner to the original vertical one. Thus the visual scenario for the stand on the right section far more delicate and singular, in that it acts more like a training wheel rather than if the line had not curved in and thrust the energy into the grounding. Had the curve not pulled inward, that small catch space would not absorb much of the energy. The result would be the right side of the arch would have felt like 10 burly men were thrusting the energy down into the ground. This essentially would have ended the melody, where as raising these catch spaces and moving them along the line itself keeps the propulsion lively and flowing around endlessly. Which is what I’m looking for in melody… how to capture the float-ability of a tumbling forward passage and how to deal with the general following of a weighted divoting that necessarily pendulums the swelling thrust back upwards. I’d like to find a catch space that would mitigate the elongated bottoming weight and pull that a divot fundamentally creates.

The arcs on the upper left are made ’roundingly’ taught by the pull of the pressure point of the vertical oval. Even as the end of the ribbon is left unfinished, it’s energy has been collected along the way as well, so that it is firmly and visually secure.

Looking forward to rendering these on nicer paper and perhaps as paintings as well over the summer. As for now, I’m tired and heading to bed…

In and of Itself © Britt Conley

Britt : )

Traversing the Interval Sea

Britt — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:38:11 +0000

Traversing the Interval Sea. I’m currently artistically breaking down some basic music theory in order to learn more about it. As an artist it’s all about shape. Sound has always been about color, shape and touch… what does it look like, how is it shaped and what does it feel like. For me intervals are the propulsion mechanism toward all directions. Chords are anchored and safe, but intervals have a lovely spring board inherently within them… you can bound forth from either end or even from the middle. I can’t wait to work with them in terms of possible colorings and the shapes of those arcs and divots. It’s going to be a nice summer.

Traversing the Interval Sea © Britt Conley

Britt

Optimism: The Right to Sing

Britt — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:51:29 +0000

Currently doodling about. I’m still in a bit too much pain to begin the logistics of my next project steps, so more daily sketching. Had a visit to the local bakery for a very large cup of tea and a sketch. Can’t really complain at this point. : )

Optimism: The Right to Sing © Britt Conley

Britt

The Melodic Strand

Britt — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:14:33 +0000

I’ve been wrapping my head around melody lately. Not so much as a musician but more as an artist. The shape of melody and how it functions. My original on this has a far more fluid and dynamic line but, it needed to be re-done. That said, the next version of this will cary that same power. This one is far too hesitantly petted. I’m still in a lot of pain and under more meds than I can count so my patience and nuance is more of a nuisance than a doable feat at the moment. It is what it is. That said… the brain still ticks and tocks and I’m this at the moment. A philosophic quest, one of many.

The Melodic Strand © Britt Conley

Britt

Preparing for Flight

Britt — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 05:47:22 +0000

Nose still hurts but the mind is ready for flight. Many conceptual considerations in the making… supplies procured… the time to fuel.

Preparing for Flight © Britt Conley

Britt

Ensemble Me

Britt — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:08:31 +0000

Well, I’ve been down for the count for the past few days. It all started a few weeks ago when a glass framed print came off the wall and into my face. I had bit of a concussion and it took a few days before even more pain arrived. I presumed all was well and it was simply taking a while to heal and then some days it would just be unbearable… others fine with some motrin and stuff to do. After a few worse days I figured it was time to see someone and find out why it is still hurting. Well, It turns out I broke my nose and worse it swelled up just from the exam. My face should have been the pain it’s been. After being made worse again from the exam I took the big pain killer, only problem it gave me 8 hours of the worse nausea of my life… OMG. Couldn’t even move my head slightly off center without a trip to the loo. It was horrible, but granted, I didn’t feel my nose. LOL! Well, I finally got it out of my system and despite some more nausea today I’m thrilled it’s done. This however means my face is killing me!!!! If I move or blink or simply just sit here I’m in a lot of pain. So I’m hoppped up on over the counter everything and hoping this all does the trick (which so far it hasn’t) until my nose heals. I’ve been sleeping most of the day. About an hour ago I was up and in so much pain I just decided to find something to get my mind off things, so a quick sketch was had. Not very neat but I’ll transfer it nice paper and do it very clean through and through in a few months. In too much pain to do a decent job with the keyboard so that will have to be redrawn at a later date when I have some patience. For now it’s just scratchily blocked in. I’m surprised I was able to do it at all frankly. I’m at wits end waiting for next dosing time.

If I had a genie to grant me three wishes, one would be that I could finally hear my music outside of my own head. I would love to have an ensemble play what I write and hear so clearly. My call to the Universe is Ensemble Me!

Britt

The Composer

Britt — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 02:06:39 +0000

A self portrait of sorts. Currently in the mental market to take on some musical compositions this summer, gain some serious insight and most importantly, learn from the ground up all that I should have learned all those years ago. I expect exhilarating moments countered by disappointing curves, such that are the gifts of the true learning curve. In the end, I hope a lovely open, free, musical me will emerge and that I will be able to communicate beautifully. We’ll see. This particular drawing is me as composer, composing. My secret dream in my heart of hearts. I think it would do quite well as a large scale painting.

Britt

A Tracery in Two

Britt — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:21:51 +0000

Have been drawing, but actually too busy to post. Here I am yet again almost too busy to post for the night. Trying to wrap up all my outstanding projects and client work. This sketch is from a couple of weeks ago or so. I actually began it while on a break at work a few weeks back. It then fell by the way side as other projects came in and out of play. The only thing remotely interesting about it is that I drew the initial linear work with both hands simultaneously. Being ambidextrous, I can draw with either hand and often begin works with my left before doing the finishing touches with my right. this is a very rough sketch to say the least and is on simple copy machine paper. I figured I’d redo it on better paper later. I’d love to see this in Wood.

The man is standing in front of a window. He is complicated and worn. Working, working and working. As for me, well I did this during a similar time. Much better now ; ) LOL. I’m in the last four weeks of my ceramics class. May just attempt some drawings, such as this on clay over the summer. Perhaps a portrait box? We’ll see. Until then, working away and carving out my drawing time as always : )

Britt

Compulsion

Britt — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 03:37:22 +0000

So, here we are again. I’ve been busy between a great day job working in both an art and music department and enjoying my first ceramics class. It’s been incredible. Things haven’t quite settled down enough but they are getting closer each week. I suspect I’ll be where I need to be by Summer. Spending much of my time working on freelance work and trying to wrap up all my lose ends and creating art. It’s not that I’d like to create art… It’s that I have to. I wouldn’t even call it an obsession, it’s more of a compulsion. I feel compelled to create relational space. It’s not that it has to be great, it just has to fulfill it’s function, which for me is a vignette of space and time. My new larger project has yet to be fully orchestrated and thus the more time I spend on creating its players the more I am wanting to scratch that lovely little self contained spatial itch. Creating abstract spatial structure completes me. It just does. LOL. Works like this are more of a release that allow me some mental down time as well as some relaxation. There is something wonderful about quietly shading away amidst the din of conversation at the bakery.

Britt