Opposites Abstract

January 2, 2007 by Clare Coyle Taylor

Stop versus go. On versus off. Emptiness versus full. Light versus dark. The old saying, 'opposites attract,' is a common theme in Clare Coyle Taylor's colored pencil drawing. Two darkly hued square-like shapes take up the center of the work. Yet, the central hues are different; you could even say opposites. The top square seems to be like an bottomless pit; leading into an dark abyss. If one were to walk up to it, they might just fall in. In comparison, the bottom square has an almost threadlike quality, the black lines become less condensed towards the outside of the square. The center is a reverberating red, like a switch that's been left on but is about to go out. The dispersed black lines give it that flickering quality. Perhaps, the above square is meant to depict the light of the lower square after it has conked out. Around the opposing squares, are a multitude of colors - pink, green, blue, orange, yellow; essentially a rainbow. These bright hues bring out the contrast of the dark centerpieces. The pink in particular surrounds the 2 figures in an almost neon glow; possibly representing an outer world. The 'hustle and bustle' of hues around the squares gives the sketch a rushed appearance, yet the dark figures of solitude in the center remain; with the hype of the outside just barely lingering within the lower one.