Circular Explorations

The circle is recognized for its beauty and metaphorical stand in for infinity or the cyclical nature of life. Circles have the power to suggest both perpetual motion and stasis. With a history that predates the written word, circles steadily jettison society into the future as a mainstay of technological progress. In 2024, I began to explore circles in relation to line as a straightforward way to express their complex physical properties and philosophical underpinnings.  

I start by sketching and progress to carefully drawing the circles with a compass. Next, I transfer the drawing to masking film. Then wooden panels are masked, painted, and sanded smooth in stages with layers of acrylic and flashe paint. By carefully placing the circles in relation to lines that traverse the picture plane, I strive to capture motion or stasis in relation to gravity. 

 Drawn to the beauty and balance of the circle, I strive to express its powers of movement, forward and backward as well as stasis or the ability to spin in place. Although a simple shape, the circle often changes direction or confounds us as it has no beginning or end. To me, this stands for the path of life and progress: forward, backward, and sometimes standing still, but never ending.