Recently, I pulled out some bookkeeping paper I found at a thrift store and decided to put it to good use for some drawings. It’s a nice break from my usual sketchbook rotation.
I like to work on found canvases. I am often painting on scrap wood and cardboard. As for drawing, there’s something magical about working on random papers and forms. It evokes a tension between art and bureaucracy that speaks to a lot of the complexity of our lives. I like it the same way I love that graffiti challenges the solemnity of property.
Found canvases are nothing new, even for people creating on discarded pieces of paper work. Joseph Beuys, a 20th century German artist, made simple abstract paintings and drawings on whatever he could find – forms, receipts, cast off scraps. A lot of early 20th century outsider art shared this aesthetic, perhaps less intentionally than Beuys. A lot of what’s considered outsider art from that time features folks in mental institutions. Their drawings on 1920s hospital forms offer a uniquely eerie visual drama.
There are, of course, practical reasons. Found canvases are cheap, so there’s less pressure to not ruin them. Also, since there’s usually something already on a page, the tyranny of a blank piece of paper is weakened. There can also be a touch of readymade texture, which can make a drawing (or painting) pop in unexpected ways.
Lastly, there’s the thrill of the hunt. Collecting a stash of found canvases involves keeping an eye out at thrift stores, cruising garage sales, and occasionally dumpster diving. All of this adds some spice to life, and that’s ok!
