Scribble

An exploration of the consciously unconscious mark: the scribble. A new body of work presented by Douglas Keliiheleua Kleinsmith.

Gallery

Exibition Dates: November 20, 2017 - December 14, 2017

Artist Statement

Every painting emerges from a scribble.

An elusive and underappreciated action, scribbling is an almost paradoxical act. A scribble is meant to mean nothing, a consciously unconscious mark. This process is unique for every individual; no two people would scribble the same.

A single scribble provided the keystone for each of these paintings. Responding spontaneously and intuitively, I translate the lines into brushstrokes, color washes, and shapes. As the painting progresses, what began as a scribble starts to suggest form and dimensionality. I then synthesize this with digital and organic patterns that I’ve observed or created, and an illusory space emerges.

I cannot fathom what these paintings will look like until they are completed, and this is exactly why they interest me. The thrill of watching something unfold engages me, and the line between action and experience is becoming increasingly blurry.

This process exemplifies the often mysterious nature of creativity. I cannot conceptualize these paintings, yet I can “create” them. Every decision is made only to balance the last, and any visions or ideas I have do not ultimately dictate their outcome.

Just like the scribble, creating is an experience of controlled chaos: a series of intentions, accidents, interpretations, and decisions that rarely lead you where you expect them to. It is a process with which you are fully engaged, but that defies your complete understanding.

In this way, these paintings also allude to the fickle and subjective reality we all inhabit. One that defies explanation, formed from the combination of our limited sensory experiences and our emotional interpretations.

—Douglas Keliiheleua Kleinsmith