Simplicity. Even though I tell myself that it is the goal, I find that I am drawn toward complexity instead. Clarity, for me, lies in acknowledging the chaos and the intertwined nature of things and pursuits, rather than trying to separate them and hone down to their essence.
This site is actually my second art site. I can't shed the first one - jbeelsdesign.com - because I still make that work. But it occupies a different part of my brain and my practice. So, instead of presenting a clear, branded body of work, I have opted to distract and pile on the information. As usual.
The stone in the image above distills many aspects of my work. It is a single object, probably created by someone who only knows a little about the philosophy or culture the symbol comes from, that grabs onto an appealing idea and spits it out into yet another context. Among may options for ideas to be guided by, I glommed onto it since, rather than be guided by a stone that says "love" or "peace" (both totally worthy goals), I'd rather be reminded that control is not really possible, just acceptance and acknowledgement of the chaos around us.
In life, I look for patterns and bits of understanding, common references or impulses, but acknowledge that my focus will change, the context will change, the material world will change, and that is all OK. In my work, I revel in finding news ways to look at moments in the world, as it changes - ways to capture common points of interest or twist familiar information to make the world shine more brightly.