The Art Portfolio of Darla Yancho

Is that the question?

Darla — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:56:57 +0000

To blog or not to blog about the creative process? That is the question I’ve heard lately, which leads to the deeper question:

Should we worry about the reliance on words when it comes to creating fresh art?

As both writer and painter, the act of putting my creative process into words is oftentimes quite helpful in solving problems. I think both with words and images sans les mots. There are some aspects of creation that are dark, murky, inexplicable and outside language. But there are many stages to image making. I can spend about a third of my time generating work, and the other two thirds editing, researching and manipulating it. During this latter phase, I often find translating it into words—whether for this blog, my personal journal or a conversation—insightful.

I think I’ll work on eyes

Darla — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:14:51 +0000

Monet painted many subjects again and again, but every one of his series paintings is different, whether it’s a painting of a water lily or a hay stack.

In 1890 Monet wrote a letter to an art critic about his hay stacks series, saying: “I’m hard at it, working stubbornly on a series of different effects, but at this time of year the sun sets so fast that it’s impossible to keep up with it … the further I get, the more I see that a lot of work has to be done in order to render what I’m looking for: ‘instantaneity’, the ‘envelope’ above all, the same light spread over everything… I’m increasingly obsessed by the need to render what I experience, and I’m praying that I’ll have a few more good years left to me because I think I may make some progress in that direction…”

There is still a lot of work that has to be done in order to render what’s in my head, too. I’ve got something with eyes, windows to the soul. Either I leave them off altogether or I have the effective of the eyes staring directly into you. I’m making some progress…

On being the bridge

Darla — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 22:54:50 +0000

Maxi in sumi ink

To paraphrase Longfellow: Max had stood on that bridge and gazed on that wave and sky…. And it was then he decided to be the bridge. And thus, like magic, Max was!

Symbolic and metaphorical bridge phrases:

Build a bridge and get over it.
Never cross the bridge before you come to it.
Bridging two worlds.
But which is the stone that supports the bridge?
I like songs that have lots of different parts in them: an intro, an outro and a bridge.

Max and Papa in charcoal

A couple expressions just for art:
Good composition is like a suspension bridge – each line adds strength and takes none away.
Seek the bridge that leans from the visible to the invisible through reality.

Love is the bridge!

And my favorite because it is Max:

Go to the truth beyond the mind. Love is the bridge.

Thanks for the inspiration, Max!

July Post BD

Darla — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 23:05:19 +0000

Based off charcoal figure studies. Gentry with summertime hair, she says. Objective was work the yellow with blue, the feel of summertime. Figurative, impressionistic. Why am I feeling like I must categorize this piece?

Art is not easily amenable to any definition. Usually, artworks are divided into either representational or abstract. Abstract to me is a portrayal–in however altered or distorted a form–things perceived in the visible world. The term figurative art has been used as meaning non-abstract, thus representational.

I guess that’s what this is. Not altered or distorted, but representational of a girl in summertime, non-abstract.

There. Do I feel better being able to tick an art definition box?

Inhale, exhale

Darla — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:16:02 +0000

Having taken sanctuary in the shadows for the past few months, I have gotten alot of work done in the studio. I’ve been working alot on figures, some days just making a bunch of mistakes and ending up with some good work. Learning and working to deny that fearful perfection monster. So, I’m posting again now, even soon to be facebooking again. Everyone needs a social media break from time to time. This has been my time for a sabbatical.

Love it

Darla — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:06:14 +0000

This is from Iranian artist Mana Neyestani. Brilliant!

In KL

Darla — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 03:08:29 +0000

In Kuala Lumpur now, working, catching up with friends. Here are some new friends spotted around a corner.

We’re working, we’re working…

Darla — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:23:52 +0000

Still the website is a work in progress, but slowly getting there. The thumbnails are driving me crazy, but hopefully that will be fixed soon. Then I’ll keep on hanging virtual images in here.

I was literally hanging pictures with daughter Chelsea this week during my trip to DC. The big heads look good in her place, right beside her big dog. And the pink ladies too…next to her pretty self, they look good.

Starting over again

Darla — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:43:48 +0000

A new decade. A new design. I’m updating the website. I was tired of the old look and feel, and I had not updated it with any new images for a long time. As I feel my eclectic-as-always body of work has moved on this past year, we needed a new online home. So over the next few weeks, I’ll take new pics and upload content over the next few weeks or so. Got a busy travel schedule so that will slow me down a bit but I’m hopeful that this new look will be easier to maintain and easier to look at. We’ll see how it goes.