“Positive Space” is new work for 2024, and a counterpoint to the well-known art term “negative space.” We sometimes assume artists do gritty, dark work to hold a mirror up to society, etc. I’m trying to bring some elements of lightness, bright color, and positive energy to the equation, to myself, and you could say, to the world.
This quote has been hanging in my studio for a few years now, because it speaks to me and informs a lot of my art practice. The original is from an interview with David Foster Wallace, which was then appropriated and hangs on the wall of Michael Schur, creator of such things as The Good Place and A Man on the Inside. I found it when Austin Kleon (who is well known in art circles for things like Steal Like An Artist and Show Your Work) shared it with his readers.
The venue for “Positive Space” is The Old Fashioned in Denison, IA, a cocktail bar located uptown and upstairs in the old American Legion building. This was once a speakeasy, and is a charming, elegant, and quiet showcase for local art. I loved showing there and hope to again in the future.