The notes on process

This visual essay explores Carol Rhodes’s artistic process, particularly in her 2000 work Pier (Night) , through a comprehensive analysis of her handwritten notes, drawings and the visual sources she kept in her studio. Rhodes’s cursive script reveals a meticulous working process, incorporating dates, titles, musings, doubts and abbreviations that document colour combinations, records and potential revisions or reuse. These elements are further contextualized within the broader framework of Rhodes’s studio practice, emphasizing the impact of specific visual sources and her methodical approach to composition and revision. Furthermore, my visual response as a painter aligns with Rhodes’s methods, capturing the layers, lines and textures characteristic of her work through the integration of her source materials. Her disciplined approach to landscape and composition informs my painting, reinforcing a shared commitment to precision and material engagement.