Over my many years of drawing, sketching, illustrating, and doodling, I've been asked repeatedly by those viewing my art, "How long did that take you?"
My answer has been, more often than not, an unsatisfactory, "I really don't know... two hours? Three days?" Time elapses at such a different rate with such a distinct tenor and texture when I'm doing art that hours skate by unnoticed or moments dilate for much longer periods than they are normally alloted.
Another question I often get is "Where did you come up with that?" to which I have a similarly paltry response. Most of my images arrive from a place I can't pin down, without any planning or participation on my part. I'm usually surprised by the peculiarity of what just came through my hand, out the pencil, and onto the paper.
In order to rectify my years of deficient answers to these questions, I decided to film myself doing a totally unplanned sketch. I figured that this would better explain my creative process than I ever could with words.
Speed Drawing from Marisa Aragon Ware on Vimeo.
Afterwards, I noticed how unlike my other recent drawings this little doodle was- it seems to me to represent the act of creation, with a sperm and egg joining on the bottom, and a human hand blooming from the mandala towards the top. I had to appreciate the irony that in trying to illuminate my creative process, I intuitively drew the process of creation.
Here are two other small scale, quick pieces that I've finished in the last few days... enjoy! And as always, thanks for allowing me to share with you.
