Robin McCauley

Design is manifest in my work as much by what is left out (reductionism) as by what remains. This is most evident in my hair drawings. These originate in the two-dimensional world of painting and drawing. The choice of outline is intentional for its suggestiveness or emblematic theme as is the neutral canvas support. The hair, in addition to being a formal linear element, is chosen for its content, rich with personal narrative and public metaphor.

My images include both animal forms and man-made constructs because cohabitation is the only possibility. The hair hangs naturally from the canvas support as if allowed to grow unfettered and untrimmed. Natural growth within a defined arena. It sways in the breeze of passing viewers.

Although the same content fuels my photographs, they are much more obviously demonstrative of the manipulation of formal design elements (composition, color, value, texture, line, etc). When working in concert, these photographs then become a sum greater than the parts.