Yes, And

This is the first Subliminal Layer that started AS a painting contributed by others. While I wasn’t at the event, I heard that another local artist brought a canvas, and paints and instructed the members to pick a brush and color and add their unique abstractness to the canvas. It hung in the Work-Collective for a year and was taken down and placed in storage which is when I was asked if I would like the canvas, which was the BIGGEST canvas I had ever attempted to paint “48×60.”

In life, experimentation is key to discovering new things and ways to ‘do things.” Just because you always do something a certain way doesn’t mean that you need to ALWAYS do it that way. Fundamentals can remain, while still being curious and trying something new.

After being gifted the canvas and reflecting on how to approach this canvas, I decided to take a book out of my Improv days, I took 3.95 levels of Improv. How 3.95 you might ask? I took 3 levels of Improv and the .95 was due to the fact that our level 4 class got through the class and needed to simply do our final performance to tie everything came together. Something in early 2020 turned the world into a temporary quarantine that lasted longer than we anticipated and never completed our final performance. Level 1 “Jello Speed” was somehow taken down, though you can watch my performances of Level 2 “The Brady Bunch” and Level 3 “Life As Art.”

For those of you who have ever done Improv or watching it…the rule in Improv is to “take whatever your team gives you and “Yes, And” build on it. Don’t think…take and run with it. In Improv, you see how the goal is to support each other and whatever is thrown your way, you are there to support your team for the best performance so EACH PERSON is elevated. As a society, if we saw each other as a team, we could apply “Yes, And” being humans with different perspectives, and see that we can “agree to disagree” and still LOVE the other person.

I really appreciated those who added the colors and textures that shine through in places. Some of the original colors can still be seen…my goal was to take what was given to me and yes and to creating a cohesive work together.

I did two treatments on this work.

The first started with a light gray and added orange which created an earth-toned beige. Because of the groundedness, I decided to add various colors starting with a vibrant yellow, then a dark purple/blue. Teal was next, followed by red, light blue, then an espresso-colored brown. Orange, lighter blue, and emerald green followed. After all the various colors were added, a blend of colors occurred to tie everything together.

After I let Treatment 1 set, I began Treatment 2 with a soft green, followed by yellow, and orange, and decided to arc the colors. As I began it, it reminded me of the concentric “rings of a tree.” I spent time drying the large canvas, added white and began blending. Blue was added to the top left which was followed by a pea green to the top right and more blending followed.

I love the concentric circles that create the image and the earthiness of this painting.

As stated, this work was first created within the community. I was given an opportunity to “Yes, And” what others added already. We all have an opportunity to add to what others created before us and so as we look at what is present directly in front of us, we can appreciate what came before us, look at where we are, and see where we would like to go…together as we look to build more community, together.

What can you appreciate what has come before you and “Yes, And” with your own uniqueness?

Enjoy “Yes, And.”