Look, See

Opportunities 5, 6

Opportunities, 2005, HTML, 220 x 260 pixels each

Opportunities 3, 4

Opportunities, 2005, HTML, 220 x 260 pixels each

Opportunities 1, 2

Opportunities, 2005, HTML, 220 x 260 pixels each

Detour

Normally I'd write an explanatory text at this point after a series of drawings as a way to culminate a small body of work, and to explain where the work came from, what I worked on in the series, or what I learned from or noticed while working on the group. But when you make something fresh everyday that others will see sometimes things don't quite work out as planned. It's OK to make little detours, to see if something will work out, and you have to accept that sometimes things flop, or at least appear to flop right now.

I had this idea recently that because the HTML drawings are light-based that it might be interesting to explore what I'm doing as light boxes, stained glass, or painted glass. You know, make some objects, make them big (the fantasy continues: try to take these things somewhere, show them, sell them, get famous, quit my day job, blah, blah, blah). So I thought I'd try drawing some windows, but in HTML as mockups or models, which is what I've attempted over the past few days [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6].

The idea seemed all right, and while I like these well enough, I guess, the idea ultimately isn't doing a whole lot for me. When I try something like this I inevitably end up feeling that trying to move the HTML work into another context or medium basically violates what these are made out of, my intentions, and what happens day to day: code, pixels, monitor light, daily, chronological, open, easily distributed, small scale, intangible, non-existent, low bandwidth, portable, all platorm and browser compatible, a markup language anyone can learn.

At least on the rare occasion when I Photoshop a screenshot of an HTML drawing into the image of a room-- either an image of a room "borrowed" from another source, or quickly drawn by myself in Photoshop-- to make one of my faux gallery views (example) there's still something about how the image is made, the size of it, where it resides (this weblog), and that it's still pixelated light that feels like it's not a violation, and that it's done in fun. It's not the work itself, it's playing, and that's fine.

The HTML drawings aren't saleable. They're not for projecting in large installations. They can't be painted or printed. The drawings, as they appear here, can't be made into something else. They're meant to be piped around via HTTP to monitors anywhere, to be seen the size they are. I recognize that, and there's an integrity to this project that I want to respect and preserve.

There's always this annoying, anxious buzz that somehow it should be turned into something bigger, better, profitable, that maybe I should want something more from this. This talking out loud is just another example of the kinds of things that artists worry about, and sometimes it's hard to hold the line. I tell myself yet again to just continue with it where it is, to keep working within the weblog context, because there must be some new little thing right around the corner that I'll encounter or think of. I just need to give myself these little pep talks once in awhile. By typing it rather than keep it to myself, I hope to explain a little more what these drawings are about, and why they're not turning into something else... yet.

Now, if someone wanted to commision me to design some windows that use the same kinds of imagery as the HTML drawings, working towards the same kind of color effects, I'd approach that in another way. I'd still do HTML mockups, but I'd have to take it another several steps and work in other media-- watercolor, for example-- which I'm confident I could do. And that would change the work, naturally. But right now I don't have the resources (cash) to work in glass or lightboxes. Must look for a grant.

Proposal for Four Windows

Proposal for Four Windows, 2005, HTML, 260 x 180 pixels each

Proposal for a Window

Proposal for a Window, 2005, HTML, 400 x 1200 pixels

Proposal for Three Windows

Proposal for Three Windows, 2005, HTML, 260 x 126 pixels each

Untitled Blue & Green Album 1-4

Untitled Blue & Green Album 1-4, 2005, Watercolor & ink on paper, approx. 9 x 6.75", 22.7 x 17 cm

Untitled Blue & Green Album 1-5

Untitled Blue & Green Album 1-5, 2005, Watercolor & ink on paper, approx. 9 x 6.75", 22.7 x 17 cm

Proposal for Two Windows

Proposal for Two Windows, 2005, HTML, 250 x 216 pixels each