By Monica Lee Rich

I have been trying to incorporate "space" into my work for some time, and I feel like this is a direct reaction to the moment we are living in, an artist's response per se. I started on watercolors to let my thoughts "warm up." I have been asking myself if I could paint space and chaos on the same plane if they could actually harmoniously exist side by side.

I am an artist who needs mental clarity to have something to offer herself and everyone around her. Turns out doom scrolling just isn’t working out for me.

Doesn't everyone need mental space? Noise is coming at us from every direction on our phones, politics, and social media, and our mental space feels interpreted, disrupted, and often hijacked.

Our lives are crowded with so much information and communication that we have become accustomed to it.

It's as if the noise is fed to us intravenously, and even though we are aware of it, we have become resigned to it, the infinite scroll. But it's more than the scroll; it's group texts and family texts (sorry, Mom and Dad). You receive alerts about everything! It's my Ring camera letting me know that either the Amazon guy has delivered something or that the fox is grabbing a chicken from across the street again and dragging it into our yard. It's not a video you want to see.

“Leaving the City” 16 x 20in Watercolor by Monica Lee Rich

If we have given in or become resigned to the amount of noise we are taking in, we need to shake ourselves awake because apathy is NOT what any of us need right now. We need to foster stillness and space within ourselves so we can empathically connect with others. But what does that look like?

“Don’t Be Blue” 16 x 12in Watercolor by Monica Lee Rich

The Japanese concept of ma (間) says emptiness, or what we call negative space, is necessary for growth. That's a simplified version of the concept, but you can see that using the idea of subtraction, making it an equally important aspect of creation, is a powerful tool.

Since we have these digital devices firmly in our hands, we all know how chaotic a constant stream of information feels and looks.

But what do we feel when we experience space and emptiness? Traditional Japanese Zen Gardens gracefully use negative space, with carefully placed elements to encourage you to fill in the space with your imagination.

“Soft Muse” 16 x 12in Watercolor by Monica Lee Rich

I like the idea of filling negative space with imagination.

So the question posed is :

Will the noise and chaos coming at us in a digital age permeate our "quiet" to the point where we won't realize it is gone, or will we make room for the hush of "space" and have it dissipate the chaos?

Chaos is an interesting word choice I am using as I embark on this series since several artists' works that I am particularly drawn to feel unbound and chaotic, and there can be such beauty in them.

“Propaganda” 16 x 20in Watercolor by Monica Lee Rich

Possibly, an uncontrolled mark is an act of freedom instead of an act of anxiety. In my art journal, I wrote, "You can't paint the peace without the chaos."

How do I capture space, mental openness, stillness, and calm connection next to something reckless and chaotic?

Like so much of life, it's a fragile balance. It requires tuning in, accessing some discipline, being gentle, and using imagination in the empty spaces.

I am excited to see where this series will lead.

Embarking on a Series

Our lives are crowded with so much information and communication that we have become accustomed to it.

I like the idea of filling negative space with imagination.

Will the noise and chaos coming at us in a digital age permeate our "quiet" to the point where we won't realize it is gone, or will we make room for the hush of "space" and have it dissipate the chaos?

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