Surrealism Journal Entries

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• Free Hi Resolution Textures
  by Cameron Gray

  If you’re an artist or designer looking for some free hi res textures to use in you work, I am now giving away my personal textures for o…

  If you’re an artist or designer looking for some free hi res textures to use in you work, I am now giving away my personal textures for others to use in their work. These textures are completely free and can be used for commercial and non-commercial work. / If you could help spread the word about these free textures, I would be very grateful. / I’m also giving away free copies of my book to certain people who are of particular help in promoting these textures & my website. / Textures are available from: / http://www.ParableVisions.com Enjoy, - Cameron Gray

• [group news] PSYCHEDELIC ARTS & DESIGNS
  by webgrrl

  / ^click header…

  / click header image to take you directly to the group or click here h1.GROUP GUIDELINES: TAG YOUR IMAGE! PLEASE TAG YOUR IMAGE with Psychedelic_Arts or Psychedelic ” / THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, or your images may be removed. / If you are submitting a piece of art into this group, then by logic, it should have ‘PSYCHEDELIC’ in the tags Submit up to TWO (2) images per section (art/clothing) per person, per day. Make an effort to comment on at least one image in the group pool by others, each time you post. Do not submit images that are similar, one after another, we like variety :) If you are not sure whether your image is Psychedelic or not, just ask me. / Bubblemail me with the link of your image. / WHY WAS MY IMAGE REMOVED?: images that are not considered ‘psychedelic’ will be removed. Please read the groups description to see if your images have the qualities of Psychedelic Arts before submitting, if you are not sure.. please excuse me if i dont write to each one thats removed with the explanations.. You are welcome to write to me to enquire, if you would like to know why it wasnt ‘psychedelic’ enuf.. :) about this group/what to post: / Fantastic, metaphysical and surrealistic subject matter, kaleidoscopic, fractal or paisley patterns, bright and/or highly contrasting colours, extreme depth of detail or stylisation of detail. Morphing of objects and/or themes and sometimes collage, inclusion of phosphenes and other entopic motifs, repetition of motifs. Please visit Wikipedia’s definition of Psychedelic Arts to understand/learn more / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_art definition of psychedelic arts: (from Wikipedia) / Psychedelic art is art inspired by the psychedelic experience induced by drugs such as LSD, Mescaline, and Psilocybin. The word “psychedelic” (coined by British psychologist Humphrey Osmond) means “mind manifesting”. By that definition all artistic efforts to depict the inner world of the psyche may be considered “psychedelic”. However, in common parlance “Psychedelic Art” refers above all to the art movement of the 1960s counterculture. Psychedelic visual arts were a counterpart to psychedelic rock music. Concert posters, album covers, lightshows, murals, comic books, underground newspapers and more reflected not only the kaleidoscopically swirling patterns of LSD hallucinations, but also revolutionary political, social and spiritual sentiments inspired by insights derived from these psychedelic states of consciousness. PSYCHEDELIC INSPIRATIONS / The Art of Jeff Hopp / “I believe that true art is foremostly a form of communication. For me to be interested in a piece, it must tell me something. An artist can communicate many things…. ideas, emotions, events, beliefs, etc. As for my art, I am interested in illustrating events and experiences that I have witnessed on my spiritual journeys. It is a method of capturing moments that cannot be documented in any other way. / They are places that can’t be photographed, and I feel that is important to share them with others.” LINKS & RESOURCES PSYCHEDELIC ARTIST : JEFF HOPP RESOURCES : Psychedelic Arts @Squidoo PHOTOBLOG/IMAGES : Psychedelic Wallpapers & Posters

• Featured on the HomePage
  by Carrie Glenn

  Yeeeeaaah….after a long day of chores, running …

  Yeeeeaaah….after a long day of chores, running around and my weekend cleaning…I began to log on to my favorite site…only to find, one of my newest works staring back at me…and let out a small yelp of joy…to myself! ;) / It’s strange almost to see my own work on the homepage…I always check out what works are featured; it’s a great way to find new artists to watch and I really enjoy the themes. I was very happy to be included in one!!! / Thanks everyone!!! ....and the fish thanks you too… ;)

• The Question of Intentionality, an Investigation
  by Carson Collins

  *The whole notion of intent is one that fascinates me almost to the point of obsession; when looking at or making artwork I always wonder…

  The whole notion of intent is one that fascinates me almost to the point of obsession; when looking at or making artwork I always wonder, what is the artist’s intent for this thing that they are making?; what effect, exactly, is it supposed by the artist to have on others?... what effect does making it have on the artist?... and so on. This question of intentionality is strangely absent from most of what is considered critical thinking about Art. Probably the various art objects could even be meaningfully classified according to the various intentions and effects, but somehow this is never done. It can be quite enlightening to try and arrive at a more specific sort of clarity about what our intentions for, and suppositions about, the specific things that we create actually are. Not in the sense of why do artists make Art and what is the purpose of Art?, but rather what are my intentions for this specific thing that I have made, and what effect do I suppose that it will have on others? My personal opinion is that ambiguity is an essential quality of all really great Art. I’m not taking the position that one should read words like “intent”, “understanding”, and “meaning” as if any piece of visual Art shouldn’t be just Art for Art’s sake, as opposed to Art with a message. Speaking only for myself, and the intentionality vs. ambiguity question, my thesis is not contra ars gratia artis; rather, I’m saying that, on close examination, artists actually do have purposes and goals for these things that they make (whether they’re capable of articulating and/or admitting them or not), and these things that they make are worthy of being examined in terms of the artist’s own intentions. “An unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates Here’s to plain speaking and clear understanding: intent Law: the state of a person’s mind that directs his or her actions toward a specific object. Adjective: 1.firmly or steadfastly fixed or directed. 2.having the attention sharply focused or fixed on something. 3.determined or resolved; having the mind or will fixed on some goal. 4.earnest; intense. - The American Heritage Dictionary It strikes me that Art making may be the only organized human activity in which a lack of purposes or goals is considered by anyone to be a virtue. Why is this important? Well, for example, try to imagine a major business, charitable, or government organization with no stated purpose or “core values”. No such thing exists. There’s a reason for that: an organization so completely rudderless wouldn’t survive for 15 minutes in the real world. Recently I have initiated some discussions on the topic of “The Question of Intentionality”in a few artists’ forums on the Internet. The Surrealists, as a group, are the ones that get the most upset at the very notion that artists (like everyone else) exhibit goal-directed behavior. Here are some typical responses: “Sorry, don’t have time to think, I just paint because I like it. Don’t want to know the reasons, I prefer mystery, as an open space for imagination.” ”...a drawing with the intention of creating images without having any intentions about what those images will be… the intention to create something unintentionally…” Certainly one can do this, Surrealists, in particular, often do. Nothing wrong with that. However this only brings up other questions of intentionality, as if one were peeling an onion. First, one might ask, what was the artist’s motive (intent) for wanting to “create something unintentionally” in the first place? What result, exactly, did the artist hope to achieve via this method? ”...to connect with deeper psychological and emotional levels.” And then, what is the purpose of that? Self-knowledge? If so, then why show it to anyone else? Because_ if one makes something with the intent to show it to other people, it seems that there is implied an intent on the part of the artist to produce some effect on the viewer._ Artists working within the Abstract paradigm tended to have a different set of objections to the notion of art being intentional. Here’s a particularly articulate example: ”...a reason for someone to dabble in the the arts has been called an addiction and the reason they do it (some artists) is to seek a particular state of being (mind) while in this process of mark making. This is the primary motive or intention of some artists and by using this method it may have been achieved, or not. The actual image, or images, created evolved as an accident. There was no intent to draw, let’s say, eyeballs but when the artist steps back and takes a look all she sees are eyeballs staring back at her. The artist can’t decide whether to show anyone her art… Eventually… she decides to show it to her mom. No matter what the artist does… her mom always says after looking at the daughter’s marks, “That’s nice dear, but why so many nipples.” ...Curiously the observer of the art sees images that are different than what the artist sees. There was no intention to create eyes nor was there any intention to create nipples. After a while the artist gets up enough nerve and shows her work to many people. Each individual sees something different in this abstract piece of art. It appears that each viewer interprets the drawing differently. Perhaps that is another of the artist’s intent, a secondary intent to create mystery and the result was that she succeeded. Bottom line, there was no intention to create eyes, nipples or toes or whatever one might see. The intent was to create ambiguity. Each viewer was allowed to interpret the marks without being told what they should see. The drawing becomes a sort of mirror and reflects back more about the viewer than the artist. Abstract art is curious in this way and perhaps why it leaves many people baffled as to the artist’s intent. They want to see the artist’s intentions, they want to know what it means. Are they being put-on? They may feel that way but few artists apply their art just to make fools of people, maybe.” That’s a chain of events that I find plausible, although I find it disturbing. Not the part about the artist’s intention to “seek a particular state of being (mind) while in this process of mark making.” – that’s something that I’m intimately aware of, and it’s certainly one of a multiplicity of intentions that I ascribe to myself. What disturbs me about this hypothetical anecdote is that it seems to imply that important Art can somehow be made by accident, or, even more disturbingly, that the critic’s rationalization after the fact is somehow more important than the artist’s original act. This was precisely the initial point of contention, reflecting back to a seminal conversation that I hadwith David Cohen in the September, 2003 issue of Art Critical. Assigning meaning or value to such an object beyond the intentions of its maker seems to me a rather questionable idea. ”...”If a herd of pigs knocked over a table of paints and smeared a canvas, and you liked it, then you’d have to call it art…” We do often find beauty or significance in the chance arrangement of things, whether done by an artist or an accident; an historical accident, in the case of… some museum pieces… And, as Carl Jung pointed out with his concept of Synchronicity, this is far from trivial – it tells us something important about ourselves . ”...do you think people need to know what your intentions are to understand your paintings? Do you not think something is lost by explaining it? If they don’t get it without it being explained to them, have you failed?” I don’t think there’s anything to “understand”; I’m more interested in having the viewer experience a certain state of mind, of emotion, a profound and lucid calm. If they don’t experience that state when looking at my paintings, I don’t think there’s anything to be gained by “explaining” my intentions; insofar as that particular viewer is concerned, my work has failed utterly. To quote David Cohen, ”...I wouldn’t want to participate in a criticism the function of which would be to award brownie points for good intentions.” One’s paintings might work for some people and not for most people, regardless of any intentions. The fact that some viewers understand and appreciate and others do not has absolutely nothing to do with the question of intentionality. Intentionality is about one’s own purposes and goals, not about the reactions of others. An artist of a mystical/Symbolist bent had this to say: ”...consciousness reflects reality, thus if you alter consciousness, you alter reality… Intent is simply a concentrated, intense energy that we apply—to whatever. As bodies of energy ourselves, we certainly can manifest many things. It is the same with prayer, per se, or meditation. It’s all energy.” And a very pragmatic artist shared this point of view: ”...Intent has to do more with Preparation. Even Improvisation requires some sort of preparation. Spontaneity requires also preparation. The very ability to approach a blank page, a blank canvas or a computer screen is contingent on our inner preparations… contingent on the alignment of our heart, mind, and hands… in the direction of the task.” In conclusion, here is an interesting area of thought: i.e., the historical relationship between Art and ceremonial magick. Arguably this may have been the original (prehistorical) reason for the invention of representational Art. Perhaps Art is something that exists in a realm beyond intentionality, more akin to instinct. It seems to me that the impulse to make Art is both necessary and inevitable, an inextricable part of human nature. I refer again to P. D. Ouspensky: “Man is a machine, but a very peculiar machine which, in the right circumstances, and with the right treatment, can know that he is a machine, and, having fully realized this, he may find ways to cease to be a machine. First of all, what man must know is that he is not one; he is many. He has not one permanent and unchangeable “I” or Ego. He is always different. One moment he is one, another moment he is another, the third moment he is a third, and so on, almost without an end… In reality there is no oneness in man and there is no controlling center, no permanent “I” or Ego. Every thought, every feeling, every sensation, every desire, every like and dislike is an “I”. These “I’s” are not connected and are not co-ordinated in any way. Each of them depends on the change in external circumstances…” (from “The Psychology of Man’s Possible Evolution”, Chapter 1) Finally, it occurrs to me that Intent plays no role in “evolution” as defined by Charles Darwin; evolution is the result of environmental factors acting on random mutations. In other words, blind chance. Does Art “evolve” in an analogous manner? Or is it, more properly, the intentional product of work done by sentient beings? Heartfelt thanks to all of the thoughtful artists who have taken the time to participate in my ongoing investigation of the Question of Intentionality, and to David Cohen, art critic for the New York Sun, who started me down this path back in 2003. I sincerely hope that readers of this essay will contribute their thoughts to my investigation.

• Featured Avatar for Humor Captured
  by Carrie Glenn

  I just realized “A Fish Out of Water” i…

  I just realized “A Fish Out of Water” is the Humor Captured groups icon! Yeaaah thanks guys…and it just makes me laugh more when people laugh at my piece…it’s contagious! Stop…you’re making my tummy hurt!! LOL / So I wanted to say thanks to Daren Deri and Meg for that. They are all uniquely talented people and I think do a fabulous job on the group / If you haven’t seen this group, stop by and take a look….and join the fun! Thanks everyone! :)

• Great Polish Photographer
  by Elena Ray

  I’ve been happily spending much time of late online with the vast portfolio of Abigaill Berenika over at AltPhotos.com. She has infused m…

  I’ve been happily spending much time of late online with the vast portfolio of Abigaill Berenika over at AltPhotos.com. She has infused my love of photography with a new excitement. Her work seems quite personal, as she shoots the same model over and over-perhaps self portraits. I don’t know, she doesn’t write much about her process and I’m enjoying getting everything I need from just looking at the images. Her work reminds me a lot of of Robert Parkeharrison’s older portfolio, but with a much less dismal theme. Her tone does have a melancholic ring to it, but it’s more dreamy in a good weird way. Her use of Photoshop is thrilling. She manages to keep her images looking as if they were done with alternative processes-and maybe they are, but I doubt she actually shot a real building floating in a stormy sea…She’s a genius, a mysterious brilliant! The altphotos.com site is compelling. There are quite a few Polish photographers (Berenika is Polish) posting there and their work as a group is generally above and beyond. I wonder what’s going on in Poland that makes it possible for so many to be so poetically inclined and capable? http://www.altphotos.com/Gallery.aspx?&a=MemberGallery&memberid=2241

• The Fantasy Group is looking for you
  by BySilent

  If your art or stories are based on the lore of dragons, fairy legends, alien worlds, landscapes from other realms, or if your work is in…

  If your art or stories are based on the lore of dragons, fairy legends, alien worlds, landscapes from other realms, or if your work is in honor of the heroes and heroines of mythological worlds or other sources then the Fantasy Group would love to have your creativity displayed and viewed. Fantasy Group

• Doing Something Different
  by Stephen Mitchell

  This is what I saw during the new Bakewell Underpass Presentation. Amongst the dignifie…

  This is what I saw during the new Bakewell Underpass Presentation. Amongst the dignified speakers and observant public, I shot scenes and moments just a little detached from the place, but still in the moment. ... When Mr Rann was shaking hands with Mr WhoKnowsWho, I was saying hello to the remaining members of the entertainment ( Little Brown Hat ). / ... Whilst other photographers managed to get politicians and councilors to smile, I captured moments where these same people were lost in thought. But these were the only two that seemed appropriate for the day and befitting of my gallery. I hope you like them. Awe / A cyclist … stares up at the new overhead railway bridge. / Public Servant / During the public opening … a clown and mime entertained the crowds. The mime assisted people, both young and old, with a rainbow-umbrella. /

• New Artwork, Photography & T-Shirt Designs
  by Cameron Gray

  I’ve uploaded some new Artwork, Photography & T-Shirt work to my RedBubble page: http://www.redbubble.com/people/camerongray If you li…

  I’ve uploaded some new Artwork, Photography & T-Shirt work to my RedBubble page: http://www.redbubble.com/people/camerongray If you like my work, you can see more of my photography & artwork at: / http://www.ParableVisions.com

• New Group For Surrealists
  by S.I. Sheehan and T.H. Repasky

  We are delighted to announce that there is now a group for surrealists to join. All surrealism is welcome, written, traditional art, and …

  We are delighted to announce that there is now a group for surrealists to join. All surrealism is welcome, written, traditional art, and digital! You are invited to stop by, browse the words and the art, and enjoy another dimension of creativity!

• Boolean Art Group Open
  by BySilent

  If you are a 3d artist that enjoys creating abstract and surreal work using shapes and objects in unusual and creative ways then stop by …

  If you are a 3d artist that enjoys creating abstract and surreal work using shapes and objects in unusual and creative ways then stop by the Boolean Art Group. Booleans are when you merge, weld or take the intersections of shapes and objects into new objects. Open to all 3d artists to enjoy and have fun. Boolean Art Group

• Our Week-End :-)
  by S.I. Sheehan and T.H. Repasky

  We have enjoyed an absolutely fabulous week-end! Our creative juices have burst the seams of our minds, and soon we will be sharing new s…

  We have enjoyed an absolutely fabulous week-end! Our creative juices have burst the seams of our minds, and soon we will be sharing new surreal work with everyone, along with some other tasty tidbits! We hope everyone has a lovely rest of their time off, and hope to see all of your great work soon!

• Dog versus Sandwich
  by Kate Smith

  Dog Versus Sandwich is a regular blog-based webzine publishing stories online. It is edited by Ben Payne and published by Twelfth Plane…

  Dog Versus Sandwich is a regular blog-based webzine publishing stories online. It is edited by Ben Payne and published by Twelfth Planet Press, who also publish Shiny and New Ceres. Guidelines What we want / Dog Versus Sandwich is dedicated to the fantastic, absurd, surreal, obtuse, bizarre, fandangled, hyperbolic, “slipped streams”, the parable, the duck with the broken leg, the experimental, the mental, and also stories in which a dog eats a sandwich (or vice versa) *Ben is also 1/4 of the Last Short Story project.

• Near A Tree By A River There's A Hole In The Ground
  by Gregoryno6

  It’s one of those songs that has stuck in my mind: The Riddle, by Nik Kershaw. / Here is the …

  It’s one of those songs that has stuck in my mind: The Riddle, by Nik Kershaw. / Here is the song, with its original video. / I love it.

• Many Thanks
  by S.I. Sheehan and T.H. Repasky

  The comments we receive on our art have been wonderful and encouraging. YEA!! We appreciate the venue and opportunity to show and sell ou…

  The comments we receive on our art have been wonderful and encouraging. YEA!! We appreciate the venue and opportunity to show and sell our works. Thanks :-) I have long been fascinated with math and art as well as the human psyche and psychology. I like to examine through art ideas and perceptions that often are surreal and expressive. I always have something to say LOL Visual expression is my favorite but I also like expressing through music and the written word. I love being and expression and asking questions. Art without an observer is just stuff. Much as humans can affect the outcome of a quantum experiment, so do human affect the expression of a conscious being and call the effect Art. Have a lovely and grand moment / Some may call the moment life / Tom

• There Is No Heaven Children
  by S.I. Sheehan

  There is no heaven children / I will learn all there’s to know. / There is no ‘out there’ children / I am called to inner glow. There is …

  There is no heaven children / I will learn all there’s to know. / There is no ‘out there’ children / I am called to inner glow. There is no comfort children, / We will seep into the tide. / There is no place for selfish, / We all have time to bide. There is no heaven children, / Now go there, play, have fun. / I’ll meet you, oh my children, / In the shade of newborn Sun. We’ll get there, Oh my children / If we seek the Wisdom Speak. / It’ll be like ‘heaven’, children, / In the place of Ever Peace. There is no heaven children, / Make sure you mark your day. / There is no heaven children, / I will find a bright new way. Come see me, oh my children / In the place of Never Be. / It is the land of Ever, / Where you will always see. There is no heaven children / Oh, see now, there’s no crown, / Now, look at this and feel how, / The other has been found. Go now, go now, my children, / To those who have a soul. / Please find the minds that know this, / And now become the flow. There is no heaven children / No hell, no place of that. / You are now free, my children. / Walk clean upon your path. Text created by Susan Isabella Sheehan / “Art Is The Perception Of An Altered Reality©” / Copyright 2008 Surreal Digital Artist™ I invite you to visit Surreal Digital Artist

• Whats New !
  by jewelskings

  I see everyone has been busy with new beautiful works of art ! May I say very inspiring ! I would like to show you a new piece I did thi…

  I see everyone has been busy with new beautiful works of art ! May I say very inspiring ! I would like to show you a new piece I did this week that I’m proud of I have another in mind but not sure how to execute it ! I now own photoshop cs2 and a little overwhelmed with it all ! It’s a little different than the digital image I’ve been using ! I would like to wish you all a very happy easter !!!! And thanks for all of your support ! Julie

• Cute New Card Designs
  by MarbiaStudios

  The following are some of my resent card designs. / I thought I’d do some vector work. / they are also available as prints ect… enjoy!! / ...

  The following are some of my resent card designs. / I thought I’d do some vector work. / they are also available as prints ect… enjoy!! We have matching buttons on our blog / / / / /

• Dream of the Techno Tree
  by AbyssalSoul

  Well, I started a series of digital renders that revolve around a huge biomechanical tree that has several strange floating creatures orb…

  Well, I started a series of digital renders that revolve around a huge biomechanical tree that has several strange floating creatures orbiting it. Of course, there is a short story about it too, although that needs a looooooot of tunning. Here are the two “scenes” so far: Close up of the Servants of the Techno Tree Branches of the Techno Tree I might add a third to make a trilogy (you just can’t have a series of pics without a trilogy ;D) As a final note, I reuploaded the “Branches…” one as I noticed I screwed it up with the sun flare and the axis of the horizonal blue line was totally bad when I zoomed in. The sky clouds looked pretty awful as well (too white and “plain”). I also added the rebuilt flying creatures, which look way better than the originals. The use of raytraced shadows for the sake of fluff and quality is yet another improvement.

• earthdogoz now in redbubble
  by Diana Maus

  Hey! Please check out my daughter’s new art at… http://www.redbubble.com/people/earthdogoz

  Hey! Please check out my daughter’s new art at… http://www.redbubble.com/people/earthdogoz

• SALE!!!!
  by Sarah Bentvelzen

  Hello everyone! At the moment I’m having a sale. A further 10%-20% off all my t-shirts. Have a look, and buy…..please! That would…

  Hello everyone! At the moment I’m having a sale. A further 10%-20% off all my t-shirts. Have a look, and buy…..please! That would be really nice. I’ve added some new designs also. And you are all aware, I’m assuming of the ‘buy 4 or more t-shirts and get delivery free’? My Store My Website: SarahBentvelzen.com Cheers, / Sarah

• Random landscape portraits
  by Lawrence Meckan

  In line with the “Drought” experiment, I should be churning out some more acrylic / Photoshop merged landscapes in the next week or so. / ...

  In line with the “Drought” experiment, I should be churning out some more acrylic / Photoshop merged landscapes in the next week or so. Although I’m thinking of descending into surrealism just for the fun of it..

• My Artist Statement
  by Jesse Riesmeyer

  Jesse Riesmeyer, a Pittsburgh native, has been experimenting in abstract drawing since her youth. She has participated in many group show…

  Jesse Riesmeyer, a Pittsburgh native, has been experimenting in abstract drawing since her youth. She has participated in many group showings including several self-promoted and produced multi-disciplinary events, On Common Ground in Garfield, Art Space in the South Side and From Ivy With Art in Shadyside. Jesse also exhibited through FLUX, a multi-disciplinary art series that celebrated the region’s greatest but often overlooked attributes: our artists and communities. Her work was very well-received after her acceptance into the Emerging Artist Program allowed her to participate in the 2005 Three Rivers Arts Festival. Jesse’s art hangs in galleries throughout Pittsburgh and was the focus of several solo shows at Boxheart, Elan and The Butler Art Center during 2006 and 2007. With a strong desire to incorporate art into her career, Riesmeyer studied Graphic Design at the Pittsburgh Technical Institute, receiving her Associates’ Degree in 1998. Since then, she has worked in the digital department of The Photo Depot in Sewickley, PA, restoring old photographs as well as editing and embellishing professional photography with Adobe Photoshop. She is also a freelance designer and very often helps promote the local, Pittsburgh art and music scenes. Called Organic Graphite™, Jesse has established a definitive style; pencil and paper, black and white, texture and light. Her technique involves an intricate interplay between positive and negative space, and energy. She layers grey tones and strategic perspectives in high contrast, creating elaborate sonatas of detail. Each composition is distinctive and completely new, inviting the viewer to linger and explore, deciding for oneself where Riesmeyer’s world will take him. Influenced heavily by Escher, she allows her work to take its own path without over-planning or restricting the subject. She wants it to remain fun and quirky, just like the titles that describe her work, frequently naming pieces to emphasize their more playful aspects. Other sources of inspiration range from artists such as H.R. Giger, Jim Henson, Dr. Seuss, and Ansel Adams, to common, everyday occurrences in life such as cloud formations, long afternoon shadows, or gaudy wallpaper. Jesse is constantly influenced by the world around her, inviting inspiration from the simplicities of life. When beginning a drawing, Riesmeyer doesn’t have an idea of what it will become. She begins with simple shapes and shading, pausing often to notice figures that begin to form. She allows the play of light and dark guide her, no matter how extraordinary or incompatible the elements may seem at the time. It is always a surprise, even for her to see where any one drawing will end. How does she know it is finished? “It just feels balanced,” says Jesse. The drawing itself is the process. Riesmeyer prefers to use soft graphite pencils and an acid free, heavy-weight paper with a vellum surface. The paper has an excellent texture and works wonderfully with any dry media. She never erases, as it changes the paper’s texture, flattening it and creating an undesirable, distracting variation. When working on a piece, Riesmeyer says that if her work loses direction, she will toil until something makes sense, preferring to continue on the same drawing so that the facet that will make this piece exceptional is not missed. Under pressure to simply describe Jesse’s work, a colleague once said, “If Escher and Dali have a love child, this is what it would look like.” Although only one’s perspective, this musing captures Jesse’s synthesis of contrast and fluidity, permanence and subtlety, tangibility and surrealism. Jesse continues to reach new levels of sophistication with her artwork; each piece is incredible in its depth and imagination, demanding to be appreciated.

• Surrealism
  by Binxie Binxie

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