I'm working on a series of paintings inspired by Platonic solids, specifically dodecahedrons. Platonic solids are three dimensional shapes made up of identical polygons. There are only 5 Platonic solids: tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosahedron. Plato theorized that each of these was the base shape of one of the classical elements. Earth is made of cubes that crumble apart, water is made of icosahedrons that are rounded and flow. The dodecahedron was the odd one out. Plato never assigned an element to that solid but said "god used [it] for arranging the constellations on the whole heaven".
I have been drawing dodecahedra all winter, layering the primary colors of my inks to create transparent three dimensional forms. I'm focusing on the primary colors. Primary forms in primary colors have become a balancing place for me in uncertain times. I take comfort in the solidity of geometry in much the same way I take comfort in processing foraged earth pigments.
Drawing complex geometric forms with nothing but a compass and a straight edge is a skill practiced for millennia by countless artisans and yet it is a revelation to me. Geometry is universal and constant, like the moon
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