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Migraine Art

Migraine and Painting

Creighton Michael



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Delia Malchert

Creighton Michael

Artist's Website

Creighton Michael, FIELD 802, oil on linen on convex panel (26" x 24" x 2,5"), 2002. © 2004 Creighton Michael (www.creightonmichael.com/ viewPieceLargePage?pageKey=0&series=0&piece=3, September 12, 2004)

Creighton Michael, FIELD 1802, oil on linen on convex panel (32" x 24" x 3,5"), 2002. © 2004 Creighton Michael (www.creightonmichael.com/ viewPieceLargePage?pageKey=0&series=0&piece=1, September 12, 2004)

"Mount Kisco artist Michael, 54, holds degrees from the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University and Washington University. Trained as a painter, he has had solo shows in Virginia, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania. Michael's work appears in collections at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Denver Art Museum, MWP, the National Gallery of Art, Rhode Island School of Design Museum and the Weatherspoon Art Museum in Greensboro, N.C.

Michael exhibits works from four recent series [in Dimensional Line: Recent Work by Sharon Louden and Creighton Michael, Munson-Willams-Proctor Institute, Utica, NY, February 14 to May 2, 2004]. His three wall pieces, part of his 'FIELD' series [702, 802, 1802], are oil on linen on convex square panels. These paintings pulse with color: countless marks and dabs crowd panels in a dizzying, repetitive pattern. In one, cobalt dominates; crimson, navy and melon marks recede, until the viewer moves closer. A student of Eastern philosophy, Michael seeks to elicit meditation in this series. Yet in a supplemental notebook, Michael reveals 'FIELD' was partly inspired by the visual effects of a migraine. Looking too long at these panels may trigger one of your own."

(Ellen Portnoy, Out of the Ordinary - Unorthodox artwork take center stage at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Syracuse New Times Net - The Central New York Alternative, September 12, 2004; additions in square brackets by Klaus Podoll)

FIELD

By Creighton Michael

FIELD, a series of painted, linen covered convex panels, investigates the tentative relationship between the texture on a surface of an object and the optical space residing within its pictorial plane. This inquiry is conducted through a drawing process that employs a repetitious marking activity with improvisational strategies. The focus, being on the repetitive activity instead of the resulting marks, allows for mark variation or mutation. This process results in a mark that becomes an organicistic model. Each element contains the nature of its whole. The personality of each mark and the suggestive or cognitive power of marks in concert create the tactile and visual effects resulting in these paintings.

FIELD was initially inspired by an unusual combination of art history and personal experience. The composite structure of a 15C Northern European, altar panel and the visual effects of an ocular migraine are the basis for the development of this series. Its fusion of elements taken from painting, sculpture and drawing encourages the viewer to experience the compression of a three dimensional field of vision placed on a curved ground. This "liquid vision" or disruption of the field establishes layers of perceptibility for the viewer to encounter in both physical and illusionistic space. Is the teeming agitation that occurs at the birth of form or its termination? What part of the cycle is the viewer witnessing, the beginning or the end? While peering through an ever-shifting maze of color and light, the viewer explores the fragile beauty existing momentarily between order and chaos, emergence and disappearance.

(From the catalogue for the exhibition, DIMENSIONAL LINE, at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, Utica, New York; February 14 to May 2, 2004)

"FIELD, the current series of painted, convex panels, investigates the tentative relationship between the texture of an object's surface and the optical space residing within its pictorial plane. A visual tension is created by the conflict of these opposing forces. The inquiry is conducted through a drawing process that employs a repetitious marking activity with improvisational strategies. The focus, being on the repetitive hand gestures instead of the resulting marks, allows for mark variation and permutation to occur. This process creates a mark that is seen simultaneously as the residue of previous activity as well as a component of an emerging pattern. Within this maze of light and color, one explores the fragile beauty that exists momentarily between order and chaos, emergence and disappearance."

(From the artist's website, September 12, 2004)

"Dear Dr. Podoll, I have had ocular migraines for many years. At first I was very concerned fearing they were a prelude to a stroke. When I learned differently, I became fascinated with the aura and its effects on perceived space. In the FIELD paintings, I attempted initially to capture this spatial experience without the use of the red, yellow and blue arcs. In the SQUIGGLE paintings, I decided to employ the arcs or auras as a disruptive force in pictorial space mimicking their effects in visual or perceived space. Recently, I began exploring the visual relation between the disruption of imagery (and perceived space) as it occurs in an ocular migraine and digital projection. This inquiry is manifested in the SQUIGGLE paintings that are currently on the 'easel.' I would be glad to have images of my work reproduced on your Migraine website. I would appreciate you linking the images that you use to my website for viewers to have additional information on my work. You can take the images from my website or I would be glad to send you images with a higher resolution. The 'supplemental notebook' mentioned by Ms. Portnoy must have been the exhibition book which was a compilation of statements on my work as well as earlier reviews and essays. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Thank you, Creighton Michael "

(Email to Klaus Podoll, September 13, 2004)

"There is only a passing reference to ocular migraines in one of my statements. When the FIELD paintings were beginning to be exhibited in 2002 and 2003, I spoke often about the genesis of their content. So few people knew or had even heard of ocular migraines, that I slowly quit discussing the influence. I will be glad to send you earlier exhibition catalogues and brochures, but nothing concerning migraines was published."

(Email to Klaus Podoll, September 14, 2004)

"SQUIGGLE explores the difference existing between an inner world of changing phantoms with the outer world of shared perceptions. This activity is however, conducted on a flat not a curved plane."

(From the artist's website, September 12, 2004)

"Recently, I began exploring the visual relation between the disruption of imagery (and perceived space) as it occurs in an ocular migraine and digital projection. This is a new development that is occurring in the SQUIGGLE series. SQUIGGLE (304) 2004 is the beginning of that new direction. I will send you images of work as they become available."

(Emails to Klaus Podoll, September 13-14, 2004)

Origins of the FIELD and SQUIGGLE series

By Creighton Michael

Since my childhood, I believed that I could see air. I saw the various components that constituted a seemingly invisible void. Spots, lines and shifting shapes would float in a dazzling display of color and black and white. Sometimes I would rub my closed eyes to create new universes that would mingle with the after images from the visible world. Even now, I continue to be fascinated with various sensory and perceptual experiences and their application to my painting. My first experience with visual alteration happened in my twenties from a rapid drop in my blood sugar. My range of vision functioned much like the screen of an old television set with the horizontal hold malfunctioning. My entire field of vision was compressed into a horizontal band representing about 1/3 of my total range. I felt like I was viewing the world through a movie screen. This incident occurred while I was driving, making the experience as alarming as it was interesting. The ocular migraines began later in my thirties. Yellow, blue and red arcs or auras would interfere with my vision. The experience was like having someone's hand in your face. I could see but understanding depth and spatial placement was difficult if not impossible. For years I thought about how to integrate these occurrences into my painting. After developing a vocabulary and painting process based on marking activities, I decided to develop a series of paintings that would attempt to create an analogous experience for the viewer without depicting auras. I was not interested in illustrating the sensory occurrence, but translating it in to a visual event for the viewer. The format for these paintings was a convex panel whose rectangular proportions were similar to that of an icon. Initially this structure was selected because of its reference to altar panels from the 15thC. As an object, the shape of the altar panel had always been aesthetically pleasing to me. Additionally, the curved surface greatly enhanced the optical effects of the painting by expanding its viewing range. These works were titled FIELD, which is an abbreviation for "field of vision". Begun in November of 2001, the FIELD paintings create a kinetic atmosphere by layering the many episodes of marking activity. Within the pictorial space there exists a disruption seen either as a mass of marks or a tear in the space membrane. FIELD (302), FIELD (502) and FIELD (802) are examples of visual disturbances generated by the accumulation of marks. Spatial disorder is achieved in FIELD (902) and FIELD (1702) by the split in the picture plane. FIELD (1102), FIELD (1302) and FIELD (1402) employ both strategies to accomplish the desired effect. By 2003 (FIELD 2703) additional sensory imagery appears such as after images, spots and auras to complicate the spatial illusion. As these additional elements have been introduced, the space has acquired a vista reference as in FIELD (2904) and FIELD (3004). This differs from the earlier FIELD panels, whose space functioned more as a detail than a panorama.

In the Squiggle paintings however, I decided to utilize the arcs or auras as a disruptive force in pictorial space mimicking the effects that auras have on visual or perceived reality. SQUIGGLE (104) and SQUIGGLE (204) are examples of this process. These paintings are on a flat plane instead of a curved one. As with the FIELD paintings, I employed non-recognizable imagery, layers of repetitive patterns, to create the illusion of three-dimensional space. Recently, I began exploring the visual similarity between the disruption of imagery (or perceived space) as it occurs during an ocular migraine and the electronic interruptions viewed on a screen during digital transmission. SQUIGGLE (404) and SQUIGGLE (504) are my initial visual translations of these related sensory events.

(Email to Klaus Podoll, October 6, 2004)

Sketch

"The disruption in digital transmission to which I referred, occurred while viewing satellite television. There were weather related problems. I had never seen these shapes obliterate the viewing plane before. Such severe black and white waves, cones or dashes appearing then disappearing in erratic fluctuation. The image was not distorted but remained intact, just cutoff wherever the high contrast shapes appeared. I tried to remember the experience by writing it down when I arrived at my studio an hour later. The effect reminded me of my ocular migraine in the way perception was altered. I saw parallels existing between two realities. This fascinating comparison became the next chapter in my painting." (Email to Klaus Podoll, October 7, 2004)

"Your information on de Chirico's painting is very interesting. I have had a close affinity to his work from the first time I saw it. I am trying to achieve that sensation of melancholy, alienation or wonder (depending on one's perspective) without recognizable imagery, without memory or familiarity. In some ways I am trying to create the 'air' I see. - Besides de Chirico's paintings, I have long been interested in the work of Max Ernst and Yves Tanguy. Even now I employ Surrealists' strategies of randomness and automatism." (Email to Klaus Podoll, October 7-8, 2004)

Seeing air

"But I always have some weird visual thing going on, even when I don't get the complete aura. I describe it as 'seeing air.' The air is full of sparkling dots, like I can see the molecules colliding..."

(Raven, Newsgroups: alt.support.headaches.migraine, April 23, 2000)

"This is amazing. I thought I was the only sane person who believed he could see air. Who is Raven?"

(Creighton Michael, Email to Klaus Podoll, November 20, 2004)

SQUIGGLE 604

"As soon as I have finished these new SQUIGGLES I will send you images. I am pushing them (the paintings) closer to my experiences. " (Email to Klaus Podoll, November 29, 2004)

SQUIGGLE 704

"I wanted to share a break through in the development of my SQUIGGLE series with you. One of the problems in painting 'air' is the landscape reference becomes too strong. Finally I am able to create the 'air' or space without a landscape reference. Instead the painting alludes to the painting process. The image of SQUIGGLE 704 is attached for you to see this change."

(Email to Klaus Podoll, December 8, 2004)

SQUIGGLE 804, oil on canvas

"In my last correspondence I forgot to mention another visual change which has occurred. By employing a linear structure with complementary colors as seen in my recent paintings, SQUIGGLE 704 and SQUIGGLE 804, I have created an optical vibration that impedes the viewers ability to see the painted field for any extended period of time. This approximates that 'visual shifting' one feels during a migraine aura. Unfortunately, this visual experience cannot be captured in film. An interesting concept though, a painting that cannot be viewed!"

(Email to Klaus Podoll, January 6, 2005)

Author: Klaus Podoll
Last modification of this page: Tue. Dec. 21. 2004

Delia Malchert

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