An Easter Cross pattern painting.
This is an old piece I did during my more abstract days but since it’s Easter I thought it would be relevant today.
Visually, I think it works. Whether it works as a concept I’m less convinced?
At the time, as I say, I was in an abstract phase. I was exploring the way writing is the physical recording of a movement habit. The fact it’s connected to thoughts and ideas obviously makes it more than that but writing is a habit.
Patterns, like letters, are a repetition of the same movement habit and when performed manually have little imperfections. No two are exactly the same since physical movements vary with each repetition. Over time these repeated habits form a character or style of a piece.
Like someone’s writing style.
I experimented with these repetitive patterns and began including them in my paintings and linking the structures to diagrams I’ve often seen used to explain abstract concepts in psychology during my student days.
Why the Cross?
At the time I was trying to understand the Christian concept of Jesus bearing sins on the cross. Habits can be good and bad and this thought was connecting with Christian ideas of “sin” or wrong actions. What is sin and why do we keep repeating sins? Quite simply because they are habits and we return to familiar habits.
In neurological terms repetition of habits reinforces neural pathways making them more pronounced.
Like when you trace over the same pattern repeatedly.
Eventually you will form a track which becomes more difficult to deviate from. Do it long enough and even stone will be shaped by it. Look at old steps or footpaths and how they become worn away so that you follow the wear marks without thinking.
The symbolism of cross leant itself to the idea and I saw these patterns as a way of depicting those sins. The Cross patterns are habitual, so natural that we are not even aware that we are doing them. Mixed in with the bad is also the good, indistinguishable.
A reminder that we repeat patterns of behaviour whether good or bad. All mixed together they appear beautiful. On closer inspection, the flaws can be seen but the overall effect is still beautiful.
Whether you believe in a Christian faith or not we are all what our habits make us.