Ive become increasingly conscious of the curious fact that I make Rules Based Art and perhaps always have. In my recent long form Artists Statement (see previous post) I spoke about allowing my behaviour to interact with tools and materials. Now I realise that as I begin to behave (that is to say, pick up tool, pick up paint, apply to material, or in the case of stone, choose stone, move stone, pick up tools) I am waiting for The Rules to manifest. Each new piece, with its unique environment (detritus from previous work on floor around canvas, particular location of tools for example) can influence what The Rules might be. A Rule might be “ah – the 1 inch paint brush is to be pushed across the canvas” or “right – the side of the brush is to be driven into the canvas through the paint” or “hmm – the blade is to spread the paint between the canvas and the paper only very little, or to its maximum extent, or only in one direction” or “all activity will stop now” etc. The Rules only manifest as the work progresses. The Rules come from the interaction between tool, material and behaviour. There is no intention other than to begin and usually even beginning is without intention as it might happen while I am walking past the canvas on the floor on my way to doing something else entirely unrelated to painting.