MARILYN STUBBLEBINE


ARTIST STATEMENT
“Evidence exists that early humans used geometric ideas and symbols over 100,000 years ago. Symbols created to mark place and to take accounting of their world. Beginnings! Along with its linkage to art making throughout history, the development of mathematical thought is inspiring to me. Measurement! Creation! Foundation! I experience each painting as a new beginning: How to visually evoke my awe of the immensity of past, present, future, and all of its mysteries. Like early humans, I too am defining my space in a boundless universe of the unseen and unknown. I too am taking account of my efforts to adjust to living in a universe by creating. Creative acts provide links, points to make visible reflections on the universe, space beyond our planet and connect me to very early human efforts to unite with the inexplicable. Abstraction gives form to my wonder. Abstractions deliver an ambiguity, an openness to and acceptance of the inexplicable, as well as invite viewers to hold discrete responses. Repetitive use of form and color convey the idea of patterns extending beyond the edges of the painted surfaces reflective of an infinite flow. I imagine the visibility of foundational geometric concepts in space and time by bonding the definitions of lines and planes that hold the potential to expand boundlessly with imaginary planarities. Artistic realities connecting geometry with the mystery of infinite space symbolized in fictive abstract-scapes. Geometric forms also generate musicality, life pulses, with hope weaving in, weaving out. Repeating. Imaginary architectonic forms offering consolidation, stability, organization. All structuring color dialogues. Color projects everything. The generosity of color adds emotional voice and shi to the geometric structure. Color awakens the geometry to impart the story of the flow of time. I imagine walking through time, moving through the universe, marking my wonder. As I paint I experience each color as diverse characters, landscapes, feelings, sound, symbols. Color’s ambiguity offers countless interpretations. Primarily, I understand my work as reflections of wonder, as placeholders for the mysterious. As acknowledgement of the unknown and acceptance of the unseen. Within this world of order and mystery, I paint, draw, collage, engage in book arts, compose music, and experiment with other media.”