Out of all the books and journals I’ve made, do I have a favorite? I think it would have to be “The Colors of Darkness.” It is such a rich journal, with a lot of distress inks, a lot of thought going into it. It was inspired by walks along the Eno River, especially in areas near the old pump station where you can find remnants of life: broken dishes, bottles, etc. There are portions of brick structures left standing in the beautiful woods on the Eno. It feels like there are spirits there. There has been a lot of life along the Eno! There are grave sites in those woods as well. There were slaves there. I feel a very strong energy there — always an energy of life versus death, rebirth versus actively dying, pushing back versus giving way. It’s an incredible place to be. The struggle of life and death, and the beautiful natural setting along the Eno River: those things gave birth to “The Colors of Darkness.”
I know this is an image-intense page (sorry if the load time is slow), but I wanted to really remember this entire journal! This journal was sold to a wonderful Birdsong artist and friend.
Watch the entire video here: