I was in my studio (also known as the laundry room when the piles of clothes get too high), mixing color, when I realized what a big part transformation was playing in my creativity theme. This isn’t new, by any means. Austin Kleon does a great job desribing how we all take from other works in his book and TED talk. But it hit home all of a sudden, as ideas tend to do.

I laid out a palette, some monoprint inks, and an old scrapbook, to see where they would take me. Colors transformed, one to the next, along the spectrum, as I added more medium and discovered palette possibilities. As I applied each new color variation to the scrapbook, the page transformed into a potential texture scan for new pieces, as well as a background for collage. When I got tired of using a brayer, I switched to a palette knife, and then anything else on hand to make marks: a bottle cap, crumpled paper. Each transformation of tools led to a great new texture effect and kept the creativity flowing.

I started to realize how much value there is for me in changing something from its original form. In fact, I think it’s crucial to my art process. I’m probably not cut out for realism!

• Each of my color/texture creations is a complete transformation from the multiple originals.
• Printmaking has an instant transformative effect, as the ink moves to the paper.
• The layering in my digital work is immediate, and reversable, transformation.
• As I incorporate a main image, I’m trying to change it from its literal interpretation to a more general concept.
• Even my titles need to change, through word & idea association — I don’t want to direct the viewer too much.

Several people lately have given me their impressions of my recent work, and I was delighted to hear multiple concepts and themes, many of which I hadn’t thought of, even remotely. I realized that is the goal of my transformative process — to get to new thoughts, and even to bring others to new associations. Creating to transform: what better reason for art?