Friday, January 29, 2010

Notes From the Underground

Often when I am in a phone conversation or my mind is elsewhere, I find that I have been doodling. My subconscious is expressing itself.

I remember that this one was a difficult discussion.









One might call it Hypo Art. Images from down under. Sublimages.

These noodlings have survived because
as I was throwing them in the trash
I looked at them and thought, huh!

So instead, I tossed them on one of my piles.


Unconscious poetry, speaking from the dark.





What are my dreams telling me?


Who are these friends?


Where have I stuffed these emotions?









This kind of art is done without agenda. Without deadlines. Without ambition. It simply flows. And is what it is.

Mostly the ideas are nonrepresentational. But occasionally one of them peeks out to say hello.


Do you doodle? Are you giving voice to your shyer musings?

17 comments:

Joy Chu said...

I like it when you play with white space (the 3rd one from the top). People do not tease it enough, IMHO. — Joy
:-)

Faith Pray said...

Nice. "Sublimages". Great word.
It's fun to see what comes out of your great brain when not directly pointing at it. Like those illusions where you're supposed to look to the side of something for two minutes and then you see the word "skyrocket", or the one where you keep your fist shut for five minutes and it becomes someone else's hand for a little while, or like when you're listening to Bach and something else very substantial starts happening behind the melody. Maybe my analogies aren't quite there but your doodles remind me that the underworld, that brilliant subconscious world is so, so close, but just barely out of reach of my understanding.

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Spoken like a true designer, Joy. I always need to be reminded of the effectiveness of white space. I like that, "tease it".

I am going to try looking to the side so I can see the word, "sky rocket". I can't wait. And yeah, Bach always melts me. We are like "ropes on the Goodyear blimp" next to him.

Richard Jesse Watson said...

My last comment was to you, Faith, I mean, Dr. M..

Zuzana said...

Oh how interesting! So true, these *subconscious* drawings, which happen without your attention are definitely worth paying attention to. I find them very intriguing, as some are very geometrical, almost mathematical in shape, while others are more round and dreamy.
;)
Zuzana

Kat_RN said...

You sound just like my favorite Art Teacher from High School (that is very high praise indeed). Yes, I still doodle. Usually in meetings or class, it helps keep me awake and oddly, helps me to concentrate on the subject at hand.
I like the last one the best, it reminds me of a Native American Turtle.
Kat

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Thanks, Kat. The last one does look a bit like some kind of Tlingit turtle. You are right, doodling does seem to help me concentrate as well. I often got busted for it in elementary school and junior high, but it was my way of recording the essentials.

Ruthie Redden said...

Hi Richard, your doodles are fascinating!! When i am on the phone, i doodle and it is propbably the only time i ever draw totally from my subconscious without any holding back. I am always intrigued by what is left on that piece of paper when i put down the phone. Maybe i need to be on the phone more! Hope all is good with you!

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Zuzana, I was thinking about your comment and wandered off to your blog and forgot to say thanks for your comment. It is fun to see the different forms they take seemingly on their own.

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Hi Ruthie,I'm not sure I could handle being on the phone more, but it is good to have paper available for those subconscious field trips to the waking world.

Deb Lund said...

Loved the post and comments! Really loved the validation for doodling....

Julia Kelly said...

Hi Richard- somehow didn't see you post until today- your doodles come out a little in your angel food cake book- but looks like you have the makings of a picture book in a land and place far from reality!
Funny confession- I don't doodle- never really have- hummmmmmm- wonder what that means!

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Thanks, Deb. Doodle on!

Thank you goodmangood for visiting.

Julia, you are right, my doodling finds it way into my art in various ways.

People have different ways of juggling ideas and ispiration. Maybe I doodle because I have nervous energy. You must be calm and collected. Also, designers think differently, and you are an amazing designer

steven said...

hi richard - when i'm reading to my class (eleven and twelve year-olds) i notice they like to draw. so i bought them all sketchbooks for whenver and whatever reason. some people think - they're not paying attention. the truth is they're paying more attention. the drawing gives the rest of their minds and bodies something to do. plus, their sketches and doodles are so cool - like yours!!! steven

Richard Jesse Watson said...

You are such cool teacher, Steven. Oh, how I wish I had teachers that let me doodle. For sure it deepens the connections to a subject, and knits new ideas to old.

Molly/Cece said...

I doodle and doodle. It's like you say for me, the work has time pressure or commercial intent. I'm not an artist. Doodling is my one thing that I do because my heart tells me too. I even have little characters in my doodles like "chick out of control". For me doodling is play. I think it's a little like people who do crosswords. It exercises a part of my brain that I need to be really spry. Thank you for sharing your doodles.

Richard Jesse Watson said...

Molly is a "chick out of control"? Who knew? I love what you said, that you doodle because your heart tells you too.