Christopher Jagers

Saturday, February 4, 2006

Diebenkorn

This simplicity motivates me … Richard Diebenkorn is like pure nutrition. I just rediscovered (for myself) some published notes he made on beginning a painting:

- Attempt what is not certain. Certainty may or may not come later. It may then be a valuable delusion

- The pretty, initial position which falls short of completeness is not to be valued except as stimulus for further moves.

- Do search. But in order to find other than what is searched for.

- Use and respond to the initial fresh qualities but consider them expendable.

- Don’t “discover” a subject of any kind.

- Somehow don’t be board - but if you must, use it in action. Use its destructive potential

- Mistakes can’t be erased but they move you from your present position

- Tolerate chaos

- Be careful only in a perverse way.

Where are the Diebenkorn’s today?

posted by chrisjag at 06:57pm