Robert Flinkman

March 11th, 2012       Sunday

I'm now currently working on a graphite drawing for a print, it deals with my own sexual experience, how I have personally experienced and perceived in others their sexual experience, the duplicity and duality of it all. I'll entitle the work Arioso Dolente.

I finished up both the biography of Beethoven, and the edition of the collection of his writings, letters and memories of him. Good to reread his life and his thoughts. I can appreciate his music all the better, deeper. I'm enjoying listening to Alfred Brendel's performance of Beethoven's piano music. Brendel brings to Beethoven's music a pair of
solid, sure, strong and sensitive hands. Always a treat to listen to his performances.

I'm now reading Heart So White, by Javier Marias. Just started the novel.

Speaking of Spanish artists, have been watching a number of Pedro Almodovar's films - Pepi, Luci, Bom, What Have I Done to Deserve This?, Labyrinth of Passion, Law of Desire, High Heels, The Flower of My Secret, Live Flesh. I enjoy Perdro's heightened reality, the scope of his characters, the inter-relationship of his characters and their problems, obstacles and difficulties they encounter. I also like Pedro's sense of absurdity and the humor from it. There's a passion his characters share, and that passion pushes them beyond society's confines.

 

May 6th, 2012       Sunday
I made my first proof of the line etch of Arioso Dolente - good so far. This morning I colored in areas with the graphite pencil, shading it from light to dark, determining the length of the aquatint. I think that and the use of selective wiping will really give this piece some real power.