I continue in my attempt to emulate Joan Miró‘s style of painting. However, the more I do so, the more futile and empty the process seems. Miró developed his art at the beginning of his life, which lasted 90 years; he was surrounded by the likes of Picasso, Matisse and other artists of the early and mid-20th century. In addition to being a painter, he was a sculptor and print maker. He was passionate about his Catalan roots; he developed his own process to make art that was unique to him.

I have had a long-standing urge to depict my brother Michael, who is autistic, low functioning and nonverbal. I began two portraits with free-form curves and lines, inspired by Miró’s Constellation Series, a remarkable set of seemingly free-form works, filled with icons and fantastic creatures.  I included ovals for two faces and the icons I developed for my brother and me. Since music was an integral part of my childhood, I used the outline of a violin as a bridge. Mike hummed music as a child.

Portrait Groundhog’s Day 1
12″x9″ 140# Cold Pressed Watercolor Block

The free-form line drawings were inspired by Miró as well as Paul Klee, who suggested that the artist ‘take the pencil point for a walk’. The content, however was inspired by my own drive to ‘make visible’ (the duty of an artist according to Klee) the relationship between my brother and me.