Expectation(s)
The pattern begins (relatively) precise and symmetrical, or in other words, it begins beautifully. If you look carefully though, you'll notice very quickly that as the patten extends past the flowery image in the middle, the lines begin to distort. Notice how the bottom two arching shapes are much larger and fuller than the condensed arches at the top of the design in the second, more detailed photo. As the pattern expands out across the page, these minor initial flaws are developed into wild variances (see top photo.) The final image is no longer precise or symmetrical. It's unbalanced, out of control: it has failed to meet the expectations set in place by the first design in the center.
This drawing was inspired by the ways in which we seem to follow the same patterns, often to our own destruction. We may have an idea, hope, or expectation that seems great. Maybe it is. But as time goes by, and we pursue the idea past its pure essence, this core, center concept gets warped. I see this everywhere at the cafe: patterns of individuals making bad choices that are themselves patterns passed down from their family and their family's family before them. Patterns of the city discontinuing vital services, sending people into the streets, only to be forced years later to reopen them as the "homelessness problem" gets worse and worse. Patterns of finding hope in some sort of program, some relationship, some medication, only to have that program, relationship or medication not fulfill its expectations as time wears on. Where are our patterns leading us? What breaks patterns? Do we even want our patterns broken? Without them, what could we expect out of life?
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