Have you had your DNA done? I have. I hope one day it might solve the mystery of my great-great grandfather Lazarus’ parentage. In the meantime, I get messages about possible matches, which Ancestry calls Through Lines. So, when I was reviewing my sketchbooks in preparation for a recent workshop the term ‘through lines’ seemed apt to describe those things I’ve explored in my work almost since the beginning.
My love of colour and pattern goes without saying. I was hooked on textiles very early. But notes about landscape, place, collections, museums, family secrets and grungy stuff are all there in my sketchbooks, over and over again.
Does this demonstrate a lack of imagination? I don’t think so. Working with the things that really interest us is what makes our work individual. And recognising those through-lines makes talking about your work and even writing the dreaded artist statement a whole lot easier. It’s worth spending some time thinking about the through-lines in your own work. And if you don’t already have those things captured in a sketchbook/notebook it’s never too late to start.
