Grayscale kind of day

Some days call for gray on gray.

ENCODE: Focus | hand cut glass + paint | 20”x20” c Heather Hancock 2020

I regularly cycle between popping saturated color and grayscale. I ended up working in mostly with grays, blacks and whites a few years ago when certain colors of glass were not readily available. I was exploring architectural form+line at the time so grayscale was an easy and logical simplification of my glass palette. I’m ready for color again, and finding my paint palette with ENCODE but I’m also mixing in some grayscale pieces and love how these look.

grayscale | ENCODE + REFLECT c Heather Hancock

I especially love to see the dialog with the architectural series. I can see that these different approaches to beauty and information in the cityscape are connected. There’s something so clear and crisp…helps me focus.

BUILD mix and matching

Encode pieces offer a playful new approach to seeing the city. This work understands information as a key element of cityscapes and offers three types of information.

First, the material and dimensional nature of hand cut glass is understood in contrast with the textured, etched and painted canvas. This object-ness is surprising and satisfying in a 2D art hanging. Glass, concrete and paint are borrowed from the material vocabulary of contemporary architecture.

Second. The viewer is invited to decode an abstracted word form. Encode subverts the signage and information ubiquitous in the cityscape where it functions to control or limit behavior and repurposes it with a personal message of optimism and hope.

Third. The pieces shift and change with motion and light for a constantly changing visual experience. A viewer is invited into participation, co-creating the work with infinite variability. This enaction points to the idea of embodied cognition with mind, body and environment acting as an integrated system.

GIFT GUIDE

Art makes a very special and enduring gift.

top L Encode: FOCUS (20x20) | top R Reflect 2.51 grid (22x22) | bottom R Encode: FOCUS (20x20) | bottom L urban vine (14x14)

There are lots of ways to make choosing a piece for someone else (or yourself) easier. We can jump on a call to talk about your space. I am happy to create visuals of possible hangings in your space to visualize how a piece could work on your wall. I can help you think about lighting for the work—these pieces love love natural light…and light at a 30-45 degree angle makes them sparkle!

If you are shopping for someone else we can make a presentation piece available and then let them make a final selection. Or I can get you a custom gift certificate. We can work together to make sure the art piece is exactly right.

I can also point you to any number of talented artists in my world.

Another idea is to connect you with an art professional from my network. Art consultants and gallerists have a broad understanding of art and what’s available out there (which, let’s be honest, is overwhelming!) and how art can bring a space to life. I probably know an art professional in your area and am happy to connect you.

top L Encode: BUILD (20x20) | top R Lake 1.13 (14x14) | bottom R Reflect 1.54 (24x24) | bottom L Lake 2.4 (22x22)

top L Encode: BLOOM (20x20) | top R EncodeL BUILD (20x20) | bottom R Encode BLOOM (20x20) | bottom L Reflect 1.43 grid (24x24)

top L Encode: FOCUS (20x20) | top R R2.39 (22x22) | bottom R Encode: THRIVE (20x20) | bottom L urban vine sketch (14x14)

top L Encode: AIM (20x20) | top R City stringer drawing (14x14) | bottom R Encode: BUILD (20x20) | bottom L Reflect 2.44 concrete rhythm (22x22)

top L Encode: BUILD (20x20) | top R Reflect 2.39 chevron (22x22) | bottom R Reflect 1.59 truss study (24x24) | bottom L tower stringer drawing (14x14)

top L Encode: ACT (20x20) | top R urban vine stringer drawing (14x14) | bottom R Encode: FOCUS (20x20) | bottom L Reflect 1.43 grid (24x24)

I’d love to hear from you! Art makes life better.