The Way I See It

Chalk Wall Wabi Sabi

Another Tuesday spent in the print studio at Mesa and I was able to see (and capture) a few more wonderful chalk abstractions. They appear on a cement wall in the courtyard outside the print studio just for me (I am not kidding–I doubt anyone else notices them!)  Last week’s rain created some interesting nuances; there were drips and smudges in the chalk which, to my mind, made them even more interesting.  To me these wall drawings exemplify the Japanese aesthetic of wabi wabi as they embrace the qualities of impermanence, transience and imperfection.

According to Richard A. Powell, wabi sabi acknowledges “three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.” I love that concept and can easily apply it to life, art and beauty.

I also like this quote from Leonard Koren’s book Wabi Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers, Stone Bridge Press (a book I highly recommend) about how one can achieve wabi sabi in their work: “Pare down to the essence but don’t remove the poetry.” 

I keep wishing I could paint or draw something to resemble these chalk drawings. But I guess I will have to settle for capturing their transient beauty with my digital camera.

ChalkStract by Janet TowbinChalkStract 1, 2014; Digital photography

ChalkStract 2 by Janet TowbinChalkStract 2, 2014; Digital photography

ChalkStract 3  by Janet TowbinChalkStract 3, 2014; Digital photography

1 Comment

  1. Rella Zoe Kaplan
    March 12, 2014 - Reply

    Love these images! Ordering book!

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