Modern Movement, 2009, marker on paper, 24 x 18 inches
Author's Note: These drawngs are true to their actual appearance. They are airy and subtle, and in some cases, might give the impression that the documentation is lacking...it is not.
The work of Chicago based artist Larry Miller comes out of an attitude towards the “sensations” he experiences in the creative act. This is probably most obvious in understanding his painstaking drawing technique where he amasses thousands of applied dots of diverse intensity and color to make an image.
For Miller, the paper surface he confronts, even as he begins with its unadulterated whiteness, implies a vastness of space that gives an ample field onto which the imagination might project a visual indication of pure consciousness. This is the “applied wreck” of reality and fiction that most serious artists confront in the search for the elusive border between the recognizable and untried image.
Magnetic Attraction, 2011, marker on paper, 11 x 14 inches
Miller talks about his process:
"For me, each dot is a gestural action. Space is altered in each instance that a new dot is put down. I respond intuitively to the unexpected play of dots as they accumulate to help create my forms."
Artists continually make assumptions about the inner characteristics of all matter and hidden spaces in the world. They speculate on qualities of the unseen, while celebrating the mind’s theoretical images of things kept from their gaze in the natural world. With these delicate drawings, Miller opens the elusive door of Nature for our gaze, manufacturing both care and impulse in the infusion of light and color upon the page. He is a master of a type of temporal space that is understated as we look at the actual work, but with careful and purposeful skill, he manufactures images that remain in our memory; indelible, meaningful, and beautiful.
Semi-Private Conversation, 2011, marker on paper, 11 x 14 inches
The exploration of beauty in our age is important. This is critical amongst the formidable challenges of our social systems, and the malleable structures of our very culture. A masterful respite for the collective mind occurs with an emersion in beauty. This is a weighty enterprise…one that re-connects us with an affable version of our humanity.
Staghorn, 2011, marker on paper, 11 x 14 inches
Magnetic Attraction #2, 2011, marker on paper, 11 x 14 inches
Chilkat, 2010, marker on paper, 18 x 24 inches
Hook, Line and Sinker, 2010, marker on paper, 18x 24 inches
Interactive 2010, marker on paper, 18 x 24 inches
Sounding, 2009, marker on paper, 23 x 14 inches
Pollination, 2009, marker on paper, 24 x 18 inches
This article first appeared in "does this make sense" an online opinion forum of ideas.
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Margaret Feike
Steve Klingaman
Natalie K. Munden
Inverted Interrobang
jlsathre
joyonboard
Salon.com
Comments
Almost a magical,dremalike,fragile,ρure work.As you wrote artists.."They speculate on qualities of the unseen...on nature" .It is true ...they make us see in other eyes,from different thoughts..It is a visual ρoetry this work,a study in colour and the absence of it...Rated..And thank you..for sharing.Best regards
Hello Stathi, thank you. I feel his work has a lyrical quality, and evokes certain dream images....
jmac, yes the mobius strip comes to my mind as well, thanks for coming over....
Love them all and the link will be clicked.
Thanks for sharing such great art. Made my afternoon a nice one and brought a big smile to my face...
When I first scrolled down to Sounding it immediately reminded me of how I feel sometimes when I dance. They really are lovely, it's almost like they should be moving. I might otherwise not have seen them, it's very kind of you to share them with us here. Thank you.
Hello Jim, thanks for the visit! I am glad for Larry about the EP.
Bleue, yes, they almost seem to vanish into the background. I think I know the ones that suggest dance movement. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment.
Greenheron, Yes, that’s a worry of mine. I do not know if the inks are archival. I would imagine Larry has thought about that, and taken steps to preserve these.
Stacey, I like the scalp analogy! I understand Larry does get a great deal of joy from making these, and he is continuing to make more interesting work.
Tim4change….Hello! good to see you come around. I appreciate your comments always. I think he recently left his gallery, but I provided a link to his website…see above.
These drawings appear to be delicate and yet are so substantial as well. Thank you for posting such beautiful art. It really is inspiring.
Congratulations on the EP and the cover placement. It is well deserved.