Over the years Shan Ré’s drawings have gone from being purely abstract to somewhat figurative while remaining within the sphere of minimalism. Her latest portfolio of Free Association Drawings is called ‘The Eternal Spring’.

There is a certain exuberance in these works that is compelling even if you look at one drawing in isolation. The boldness and harmony of the lines and curves implies a sense of joie de verve, a celebration of life. The title, ‘The Eternal Spring’ also connotes wishful thinking and preservation of inner peace in a time of chaos.
In The Wheel of Life one can discern male and female figures in various dancing postures, alluding perhaps to the dance of Shiva and Parvati or Adam and Eve.
Symphony is a visual treat with its spirited curves that seem to leap off the paper. The Family and Odyssey portfolios are evocative of ancient depictions of Exodus and Noah’s Ark. The simple forms are often touching and allow the viewer to make an emotional connection despite the minimal detailing.

This style of drawing was derived from Free Association Writing, a process where you empty your mind and wait for the pen to move your hand across the paper to bring forth thoughts and ideas that you never knew you had in you. Shan uses this process for drawing instead of writing. Once she is tuned in she draws rapidly, sometimes with her eyes closed, producing more than 20 drawings during one session.

On close inspection of successive drawings grouped under the same title, one notices the metamorphosis of the primary image, akin to stop-motion photography. This effect, says Shan, was not deliberate. Drawings from a particular session usually have a common thread running through them.

Each Free Association Drawing, while it might have a life of its own, triumphantly captures Shan’s spirit and essence. Through the process of Free Association Shan is able to tap into the energy within her soul to create these simple yet powerful drawings that often invoke within the viewer those elusive feelings of rapture, hope and even tranquility.