Pretty Sure (2016)

“Pretty Sure” is a series of drawings that are compilations of phrases where the adjective “pretty” is used over and over with different words.

The writing follows the rectangular edges of the paper and progressively leads to the center culminating each drawing with the words “Pretty Sure”.

I picked “pretty” because I find its current use in the US curious. There appears to be a dichotomy between “pretty” denoting a degree of beauty/positive meaning and “pretty” being used to intensify the negative. On the one hand when it stands alone it always has a positive meaning, e.g., it/she/they... pretty. On the other hand, “pretty” is often used to intensify a negative aspect or observation, e.g., “That cheese is pretty pungent.”

NOTE: * In artist's collection, San Francisco, California.
† Destroyed in the 1986 San Francisco, California, Bayview Industrial Park explosion and fire.