NADINE ZANOW: it draws you to them 2019/2020

the lives of those around her
patents, gears and the moon at rest
dark shadows
it draws you to them...

mixed media collage with Bulgarian karton, mounted on Fabriano paper, then on canvas and stretched, 2019, 2020
click on images for larger view

This series of larger scale mixed media/collages on paper was a transition for me. For quite some time, I had been delving into the Dark Shadows series. I incorporated text, carved Bulgarian karton-paper and focused on the Moon and the Night. After each group was completed, I began to increase the size.

Now, I wanted to work large.

What a beast to mount and stretch large-scale collaged works on paper!

At the same time, I was searching for the next step in imagery and idea.

Time to move forward from the Moon.

"beneath its radiance..." (ds343), 2019
58"x 45" (147 x 114 cm)

In a box, I located my father's various drawings of his engineering patents for gears. As children, it was quite common to see pads of paper lying around the house with various sketches of that gear. I suppose I never paid them much attention. Now, however, I could see the draughtsmanship and process of my father's commitment to developing that idea. So, then, some of the forms below. (Thanks Dad)

Besides the gear, I began to revisit my experiences in drawing in Bulgarian churches and monasteries. I was happy to see that space again.

The works below are time consuming, carving out letters with pencils and dental tools, let alone configuring gears, spaces and text into meaningful moments. They led me back to paintings.


"it was magnificent..." ds241, 2019 58"x 45" (147 x 114 cm)	"an ancient truth..." ds290, 2019 58"x 45" (147 x 114 cm)

"something we cannot hear..." ds348/253, 2020 70"x 56" (178 x 142 cm)	"they move about unseen..." ds289, 2019 58"x 45" (147 x 114 cm)