I actually posted about this piece almost a year ago. But hey, I only had something like 10 followers at the time. This is my favourite piece of art that I've ever created. I want to share it with the world!

I'm going retell the story I told 11 months ago, and give more details about my creative process. But first, here's the piece in full:

A Conflicted Refuge

21" by 28"
Charcoal on Paper
Seth Tomlinson, 2009

The Story

It must have been at least 7 years ago that I completed this charcoal drawing. It was for a high school art assignment. I submitted it to the student art show at the local gallery and it won a prize sponsored by the municipal government. The award had a small monetary prize, but most of the award was that the government would frame the drawing and hang it up in the lobby of city hall for one year.

Shucks! I'm so honoured.

I'm pretty embarrassed by how I used to think before I became a libertarian and later an anarchist.

At my original time of writing, this artwork's biggest claim to "fame" is it's connection to the government of Sarnia, Ontario. I decided it was time to reclaim it and put it to good use. 

What the Piece Means

It's called A Conflicted Refuge. The drawing was not about any one specific refuge, but about the general idea that many of us retreat to areas of comfort that are actually damaging. Any vice could be considered a conflicted refuge. You can see the one hand trying to escape from the whirlpool of blankets - representing comfort or refuge - while the other hand grabs on to the blanket to cover itself.

The drawing reveals a mind beside itself. The subject recognizes that he is drowning and tries to get out, but there is another part of him that doesn't want to escape. He finds too much comfort in his refuge.

A New Meaning

The government is the security blanket that is drowning us. Many of us can't imagine life without our masters. We are afraid of what could be outside the comfort of the state's security. 

The drawing reveals a mind coming to terms with this belief. He's being dragged through his mental roadblocks and away from statism like I once was. Part of him wants to keep the security so he tries to cover himself with the blanket but the other part is reaching out from the whirlpool for help.

The good news is that there are many intelligent, kind and gracious anarchists out there who are willing to lend a hand and want nothing more than to free him from his slavery.

If you find yourself in this situation, I hope you'll read this as an open invitation to reach out. 

The Process

When I had settled on the idea of a "conflicted refuge" I began brainstorming. It didn't take me long to come up with the idea of an arm trying to escape from a whirlpool of blankets.

Next I did some preliminary sketches. 

My planning sketches don't usually look like this. But I didn't just want to use this page for cold planning. I wanted to capture the energy that I had intended for the final drawing.

I began the charcoal drawing by using a charcoal-covered cloth to wipe grey across the entire page. There's nothing more intimidating that a large white sheet. Beginning with grey made me feel more free to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!

Magic School Bus anyone?

Finally, I drew, Dark tones were laid on with thick charcoal and light tones were lifted off the page using an eraser.

I hope you enjoyed this piece as well as reading about my process, story and philosophy.

~Seth

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