News from Pausha’s Studio – April 2023
I am firmly of the belief that no image should have one meaning if it can have two, or four, or twenty. The more meanings the better. The more meanings, the deeper one can dive, the further one can reach, going farther, beyond the surface appearances of things.
WHAT'S WITH ALL THE RABBITS?
It is my aspiration to create images that are like ogres and onions: full of layers. Lots and lots of layers.
I am firmly of the belief that no image should have one meaning if it can have two, or four, or twenty. The more meanings the better. The more meanings, the deeper one can dive, the further one can reach, going farther, beyond the surface appearances of things. Reaching deeper, below the momentary, temporary faces life wears. Reaching down to its bones. The fundamental, unchanging bones of humanity. Or reality for that matter.
I aspire to draw myths.
I am not content to draw an image of a woman - I wish to draw an image of womanhood. I am not satisfied to draw an image of a human - I wish to capture and express the essence of humanity, and that can be best done with symbols.
Which brings me to the rabbit.
If I were to draw a woman, even a yellow woman, it would be a drawing of a yellow woman. If I remove all aspects of the model that are personal, that are specific characteristics of this one person, like her face, her hair, then the woman becomes anonymous. No longer an individual human but a representative of a group of humans.
If I further remove the sexual characteristics: genitalia, nipples, even a belly button, the anonymous woman loses another layer of specificity and gains another level of anonymity. It ceases to be a person and it becomes a symbol.
Having lost layers of personal characteristics the character becomes a symbol imbued with layers upon layers of meaning aligned to humanity at large. Layers and layers just like in ogres. And onions.
The figure, the symbol, becomes a representative of humanity, expressing everything that is fundamentally human. But then it loses its human head and in the process becomes symbol not only of humanity but of animal life. It wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to say that it becomes a symbol of life itself.
Layers, layers, layers.
The rabbit emerged as a character in another adventure, one you can read about HERE, but I embraced it fully and wholeheartedly in my art because it really is so incredibly perfect. In any context, no matter what I wish to express, no matter what I try to portray, no model does half as well as the rabbit does.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
A DOVE LANDED ON A MAN'S HEAD.
"It's an omen!" exclaimed the man. "It means that everything will go well today. It means that my meeting will be successful, I will be free, I will find peace, I will find love!"
A dove landed on a man's head, pecked at the hair and realizing that it's not suitable for lining the nest, flew away.
WORKS IN PROGRESS
I don't know why I draw what I draw. Images emerge, I put them on paper. Sometimes, once created, the drawing will clearly show its meaning, sometimes it won't. I'm content with either.
I have noticed, though, as I was coming close to finishing this piece, and began to sketch out the next one, that it looks familiar. I realized that I've drawn this before, this exchange, this relationship.
There is something very compelling in this picture: the rabbit and the horse seeing one another. It brings to mind the natives from Avatar and how they would great each other by saying "I see you", doesn't it?
I expect I'll continue to draw this until whatever it is I am trying to capture is captured.
**On a side, side note, I'm not entirely sure I would call myself a surrealist, let alone self-respecting, but I still like those legs therefore, again, there I go.
Follow Pausha down the rabbit hole!
A compilation of ancient fables illustrated with pieces from my “A Bird in the Hand” drawing collection is now available for your perusal and, hopefully, enjoyment.
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