I have spent this blissful summer on Lake Taupo re-engaging with the ongoing work "One, two, three, four, five, six".  These one centimetre graphic marks on tracing paper continue to offer huge satisfaction and fascination.  Recently reading Dave Hickey's "Orphan" in January 09's Art in America confirmed to me the relevance of this work at a time when it threatens to drift into the realm of self indulgence.

Hickey writes about how the past "three decades of art theory ahd art history have destroyed our understanding of art practice."  He goes on to remind the reader that art practice is dedicated to maintaining and renewing our ideas of happiness.  I certainly know that I experience a sense of happiness as I work on these drawings and that the peaceful tranquility and security they may evoke in viewing can offer the same experience.

Hickey further suggests that the usefulness of art practice precendents lies in their ability to help understand the "unprecedented present". 

This article has me thinking afresh about my work and I anticipate many rereadings! 

Copyright © 2008 - 2011 Leslie Falls | Email: artist@lesliefalls.com

Decision-making is a fact of daily life. Whether it be what time to rise in the morning or what career path to take the decision made is affected by a variety of elements. The emotional self imposes some of these elements while other influences come from deeply imbedded social, political, ethical or cultural beliefs. Decision-making, when related to art, can also be dictated by traditional processes.

My current studio practice focuses on this decision-making and its role in making art. Most of my current work explores the absence of spontaneous decision-making. By using, as my point of departure, familiar images that have very specific purposes (and so must necessarily comply with a set of visual conventions) typical formal art making decisions are made for me. After the familiar set of limitations regarding content and format is recognized I can simply concentrate on the generation of the work. This results in a near meditative process; a rote execution adhering to these recognized rules. The lack of continuous decision-making results in tranquil, stress-free working consciousness.

Copyright © 2008 - 2011 Leslie Falls | Email: artist@lesliefalls.com