This painting is the first of 2010. It is ‘about’ just what you see. Behind that is the idea of thought in space (including the space of our minds), exactly what our written languages present us. Written languages like Chinese and Japanese, which I’ve studied, were originally pictographs, simple drawings with one image meaning for each sign or character. These became calligraphs, written symbols or signs. In this, and other of my works, somewhat similar  abstract calligraphs are invented (not derived) to convey aspects of that Eastern tradition found in the expressive life and vitality of calligraphy. Asymmetry and movement is essential to that expressiveness. In calligraphy the brush written characters are not felt to be ON the surface, but IN the space of the paper or silk or wood. In the space of our receptive minds. Western painting eventually created such a picture space, nominally flat but comprised of both surface and depth enough to hold our perception and feeling. This modern and also ancient space in art coexists with the deep space of conventional or schematic perspectives.

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