I like empty frames. I like them, positioned singularly or one
inside another, on walls, serving as elements in an art piece or table display,
propped up on surfaces or suspended by ribbon or wire. This has not always been
the case. There was a time when I would have found such unfilled, uncertain
spaces unacceptable and either discarded them or rushed to fill them. I’m not
sure what attracted me first-the pure design of the frames or the clear,
uncluttered space that surrounded them. I can only surmise what aesthetic
change transpired.
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| framed remembrances |
Over the years, my empty frames have been filled with images and
items they’ve owned and embraced for lengthy periods, or at other times,
functioned as backdrops for potential possibilities. During these various
stages of incarnation, I’ve viewed the vacant frames as serene landscapes,
filled with space and light, or abandoned structures, seemingly left wanting in
their unattended state. They, in their own way, became brethren to the bare
stages, empty canvases, and blank pieces of paper, which also found residence in
my creative life.
From time to time, I’ve experienced quizzical looks from family
and friends, as they have observed my blank frames residing in their
provisional states of being. Once when working on a family photo gallery, which
incorporated numerous unoccupied frames, I remarked to a dear friend how odd it
must be, developing a project as such, hanging frames before I knew what photos
would be featured in them. He said he did not find it odd at all but saw it as
evidence of my being “inherently hopeful.” I liked his observation and have
referred to it at times when “inherent hope” seemed unattainable.
From my current perspective, much of my life and work seems to
have taken the form of an empty frame, providing a boundary of intention that
has been left bare or filled with elements to be assessed, altered or sometimes
discarded. On occasion, it appears the
frame itself has been replaced.
I suppose this online journal and my recent creative work is yet
another empty frame I have introduced into my life. The initial framework is
present, but many of the elements that may be encompassed are not yet fully
revealed. Based on my previous experiences, I suspect that only time, effort,
receptivity and relationships with others will form the pieces to be placed in
the frame. In the meantime, I will do my best to remain inherently hopeful, as
I watch the concealed possibilities emerge.