Alan Watts astutely identified in The Wisdom of Insecurity that, “Doing something about a problem which you do not understand is like trying to clear away darkness by thrusting it aside with your hands.” Exploring artistic problems through the process of evaluating the decisions that created them, one can work backwards to reveal and ideally better understand what makes art work. This piece reverse engineers the decisions that created four paintings by Ellsworth Kelly in an attempt to show and feel Mr. Kelly’s work.
A SCALE STUDY FOR BLUE CURVE
The soul should always stand ajar.
I learned that yesterday.
Do you know that now?
I came to this place to discover something.
Perhaps it eludes you, too.
Can a curve be my spirit animal?
It was autumn when he left for San Francisco.
I thought we could visit Ellsworth together.
Follow me.
I am here to visit Blue.
He replied with an embrace, Blue’s upstairs, and
This might take a minute honey.
Blue Curve drew a sharp inhale. So did I.
Little Blue, you’re wise beyond your years.
Do you wish you could have it like Little Yellow?
The harder you work,
The harder you work.
When will you learn?
A LIFESTYLE STUDY FOR YELLOW WITH BLACK RELIEF
Don’t carry an axe in the desert.
I learned that once when I was not carrying an axe in the desert.
It’s useful information.
Maybe we’ll go back there someday. You and me.
I’d like to steal a painting.
It’s for a good cause.
The only way out is through.
Imagine there are two triangles in the road,
And shooting stars are the oldest Snapchat.
Did you ride the motorcycle this time?
We could know the meaning of color.
Please help me get them to the source.
A MATERIAL STUDY FOR GREEN ANGLE
The higher the hair the closer to God.
I learned that from Dolly Parton.
I’m a southern woman now.
I thought of Green Angle when I woke.
I’m sorry I did not think of you.
You matter, baby, and I’m going to vote.
I was thinking Wendell Berry could help us now.
Would you prefer to load one load once or one load three times?
Me too, then we have more time together.
Will you bring me back a hot tea?
While you’re at it think about changing that radius.
I love you this way.
A LOVE LETTER FOR A TITAN OF ABSTRACTION
Dearest Ellsworth,
My heart longs to be near you again in the warm glow of your
seventh floor San Francisco abode. We were there together with
Blue Curve and Green Angle, and that new girl, I can’t remember
her name but she was beautiful with all her curves and all her
edges.
I am writing because I’m planning a trip to California and was
hoping we could get together, even if briefly for an afternoon chat
at the museum cafe to reminisce about that fleeting weekend
where we had it all. I know how you relish that Blue Bottle coffee,
and their cute pastry book with your pal Mondrian on the cover.
Clever, isn’t it? I think of you often.
All my love,
Your Arkansas sweetheart