Archive for the ‘art group’ Category

passive creativity…

Friday, October 11th, 2013

In the past week more art and design have entered my brain than in months! I have been to Portland and back, taken three art classes, shared lunches with longtime art friends, visited an art studio, read two design magazines, unpacked and put away class samples and materials, drafted and sent my quarterly email blast, responded to the respondents of same, met with my art group, shown my work, talked about my work and sketched ideas for new work.

And I feel my cup filling to overflowing. After months of the Earth Stories project, plus dealing with many heartbreaking health issues of those close to me, my cup has been taxed for awhile. Now I am so full of ideas and designs, and techniques that I barely know where to start.

So naturally I would add more. I just signed up for another class with Jane Davies…this one online. Hopefully this text class will be the review I need from text/imagery classes I took several years ago. One cannot study with too many gifted artists.

Tomorrow when I most want to get in the studio I gallery sit all day in Sonoma! It always amuses me how timing factors into this creative life. Oftentimes when there is studio time the muse has gone fallow. When there is muse there is no availability!

Also peeking around the corner is another short trip to Santa Clara to be on site for my Tall Girl Series exhibit at the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara. I know from past TallGirl exhibits that it is an extremely validating experience and yet I also expect to be humbled by my spouse & dog as soon as I hit the threshold. Note to self …live in the moment: always a good idea.

 

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so much anguish…so little time

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

As I continue designing this mammoth work for Earth Stories I am reminded of a couple details. One I cannot publish online the entire work anywhere, anytime until after the exhibit opens in May 2014. So I provide snippets of it to illustrate my anguish.

Secondly I am reminded of the challenge of designing this humongous piece, intended to fill up most of a 72″ square. I managed to wallow through the first half and now am working on the second half. While the debut exhibit is not until next spring the photography is due this November which means it has to be finished!

My theme has to do with building sustainable architecture particularly in natural disaster areas, specifically structures that will withstand earthquakes and tsunamis. So half of the work was about the earth and now I am working on the piece about the structures.

My original thought was to hang this at 90 degrees of what this work generally hangs. This worked for the earth section but to design the building section at 90 degrees looked more like sea which was not the look I was hoping for. So I decided to design it vertically while hanging at 90 degrees…lost yet?!

Now my concern is it is so abstract that no way does it look like what it is intended to resemble. Aha … this is where the artist statement that accompanies the work which will explain to the viewer what the heck they are looking at! After all we often look at art and wonder what in the world was the artist thinking? How the heck does that relate to anything? So I decided after much consideration and hours wide awake when I might be sleeping otherwise to just hang with it and proceed forward. I also decided to ask a writer friend to help me craft the artist statement.

All I know is I am learning a lot about puzzles, patience, process, and trust. I just have to trust that this is going to work out. I also look forward to showing it to my art group so someone not engaged in this anguish can say what about doing this and the hallelujah chorus will sing!

This is one of the gifts I acquired from forming this mixed media art group nearly a year ago. I’ve never been one who liked critique. I had a vision for my work and I was sticking to it. Gradually I have eased into so welcoming their input which is always brilliant and often jettisons me away from the anguish.

When I finish this project I plan to make something really easy!

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evolution of the ‘can do’…

Sunday, June 16th, 2013

I am again immersed in the Earth Stories work. I lost my way for awhile. I was just piecing and sewing but not feeling the vibe. So I showed parts in progress to my art group this week.

Normally I don’t want input of work in progress…it diffuses my vision. This time however I needed input and this wonderful group of mixed media artists came through for me.

I was reminded of my original idea of layering pieces on top of each other which I’d dismissed solely because of the tricky nature of neutralizing the background color after photography. The cart was not only in front of the horse but half a mile down the road! Make the work first, figure out the photography later. Immediately it came to me to hire a professional to neutralize background colors…duh!

We were both raised by Depression-era parents with that ‘can do’ attitude which has applied to our lives ever since. Only with age has come the wisdom that while we ‘can do’ most things we need not! Just because I can do (fill in the blank) doesn’t mean I have to…

One of the essential components of my work is there needs to be a problem for me to solve. This piecing of fabric is like working a jigsaw anyway but now I find I want to learn something new with each new piece. Perhaps the greatest thing I have learned so far with this project is I don’t have to do everything….again! That and I am once again enthused and excited to be working on it.

 

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behind the scenes…

Monday, November 5th, 2012

Today I went to a memorial disguised as a birthday party for an artist friend who died last month. She would have been 65 today. Judy was a wonderful pen/ink and watercolor artist, with all of her work being of animals. She was an exceptional equestrian and much of her work reflective of that.

One of the best parts of the event at the local art center was visiting with fellow artists. When one asked what is new with me and my art I took pause. I started to recant about how I am still recovering from my 2nd knee replacement in one year (cue the violins) when I suddenly changed course.

I remembered that while I am not actively making art at this moment due to surgery rehabilitation and the recent loss of my father, good things are happening for me and my art. The recollection was actually quite wonderful, a bit of cheer in my otherwise tedious journey of knee rehabilitation!

In the past two weeks my work was juried into Earth Stories, of which I posted last time. This is an exhibit of international artists which will travel for 3 years. Additionally I have landed a month-long solo exhibit of my work next April in Sausalito and I started an art group!

For years I have wanted to commune with other mid-career artists as a resource for support and growth. I was for a short time in a wonderful crit group but left as I was the most accomplished by far and there was nothing for me to learn. There has to be something in it for me!

Recently I spoke to a friend who is a sculptor and she was interested so I got on it. I invited women to join me whose work I love, and/or who I want to get to know better and who have websites, exhibition history and experience…the sculptor, a photographer, a painter, a brass artist and mixed media artists. All accepted so we are off and running mid-month in what I hope will become a monthly habit. The best part is they all are as excited as I am. Apparently there are many reclusive artists who also crave this connection with like minded souls.

So really while I have been hanging back, going to physical therapy and the gym, and spending unknown quantity of hours of the internet much has happened with my art! All really good news…

 

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