A. R. Smith Studios

…also known as negative space in art and music…is the space around objects/shapes, colors.

This basic, but often overlooked, principle of design gives the eye a “place to rest,” increasing the appeal of a composition through subtle means (from Wikipedia)

My artwork tends toward colorful and full in general. There tends to be NO original white space and all white left is paint or gesso. I was reminded of the need for white space – a place for the eye to rest – when scrolling through facebook and seeing one person’s recent practice in this area.

So, in my studio time, I explored leaving some white space. I only started 2 backgrounds and it is going to take a bit of restraint to maintain the negative (white) space throughout the process to the final product.

Life parallels: the idea that more is better is not working for me right now, I need space to breathe and rest. Wanting more bang for my buck is also not working, I want space and lightness not thickness and heaviness.

Where are the rest areas in your life? Do yo have room to breathe? Do you need to do some editing?