Thursday, February 11th, 2010
We had a really good talk at the art quilt monday session this week, only a few people came but the talk was more about the things that bother artists in general than about anyone’s work in particular. Although much of what we discussed has appeared in this blog before, I think it doesn’t hurt to repeat it.
finding your voice:
One of our group completely changed direction and created two beautiful pieces that are a complete departure from what she was doing before. This is a huge breakthrough, because it means she has finally discovered who she is as an artist and where to go from here. She has been frustrated and unmotivated in the last few months, and felt an instant spark when she started in this new direction. This is important to remember, that if you have chosen to make fabric art (or any art) and aren’t “feeling it” then you need to ask yourself why. It doesn’t help to emulate someone else’s style, you need to find that which makes you feel satisfied and fulfills you. If you are frustrated or find yourself losing interest before a piece is complete, then you need to do some soul searching and figure out why.
changing your voice:
Once you have found a direction and established a recognizable style and “voice” it is important to keep growing and pushing yourself in new directions, out of your comfort zone. Sometimes this does not mean a complete departure from what you are doing, but a tweak in another direction. Sometimes, however, it means a complete overhaul and a move to a new and unrecognizable style. The well-known fiber artist Michael James comes to mind. For many years he did beautiful geometric pieces, and then switched to a style that I would not have known was from the same hand. Whatever motivated the dramatic change is personal.
process vs product:
This is a subject about which I have very strong feelings. As artists, we cannot be making art to satify a consumer, because as soon as you begin to make art that you think will sell, you are not making art anymore. You are not expressing personal creativity and expression anymore. You might just as well be making tote bags or placemats or widgets. If you need to make things to sell (and frankly there are much more profitable ventures than sewing for a living) then do, but don’t confuse them with the art that you make for yourself. The hope (and dream) is that there will be people out there who get what you do, love what you do, and buy what you do. But it is a mistake to try to anticipate what will sell and then try to make it. You must find joy in the process. If you don’t, then you are no longer an artist, you have become a manufacturer.
can’t fit art into my life:
This one is not nearly as simple as it appears on the surface. We all find the time to do all sorts of unsatisfying things in our lives. Never have I not found the time to make dinner, or do the laundry; never did I not have time to pick up the kids at school. If you can’t find the time to fit art into your life, then you have to ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I really want to create art? Am I driven to make art or do I just like the idea of being an artist?
- Is it really about time or am I frustrated in some other way? I have avoided the studio for the past few days and the reason is clear to me–it is messy. Many artists can work in a messy space, but I need neat and organized–I need to feel as if the studio is a sanctuary. When it is neat, I WANT to be there, will often just sit there doing nothing because the environment is soothing. When it is messy (and messy only means I need to refold the fabrics that are out and put them in their bins) I just can’t be in there. So instead of spending the half an hour it would take to make it a sanctuary again, I haven’t “found time to work” for a few days. This is not about time, it is about avoidance. Perhaps your avoidance is about something else–you don’t like how a piece is going; you aren’t working in a style that motivates and competes you. We always manage to find the time to do the things that are really important. If you aren’t making time for art, figure out why.
- Are you just not treating yourself as if you are important enough to spend time doing what you want to do for yourself? I love my kids, and yes, I remember how time consuming they were when they were younger. But guess what–they can survive for an hour without you, they can eat tuna fish sandwiches once in a while for dinner. And they will be better off with a mommy who is happy and feels fulfilled.
being an artist means a lot of alone time and introspection
This is something that I don’t think many artists come to terms with. This is not a people-person activity. This is a solitary activity. You have to be comfortable with yourself, and often you have to do a lot of introspective thinking and decision making. You can’t ask for advise, no one can answer most of the important questions for you. When you need the company of other people, you need to teach or take classes or workshops. Art is the ultimate ME-time.
speaking about art
One of our members was nervous about speaking to a group of other artists about her work. She was most nervous about the fact that she is working towards developing the techniques and skills she needs to fulfill her voice, but feels she isn’t there yet. I think that when artists listen to other artists, they want to hear about the inspirations, the frustrations, the goals–the successes and the failures. It is helpful to understand other artists’ process in order to help us establish our own. And remember, especially when talking to other artists–they are on your side. They don’t want you to fail, they just want to hear you talk. The audience is your ally, not your enemy.
artist statements
This did not come up in the discussion on Monday, but is directly related to the topic just above. Artists are often asked when their work is accepted into a show to provide an artist statement–which produces panic in many. An artist statement is what you would tell someone standing next to you in a gallery looking at your work. It isn’t art in its own right; it need not be poetry or use flowery language. It is an opportunity to give others some additional information that will help them understand what you were going for, what you were thinking, what you want them to see in the work. Talk about your influences; the process or materials that may be different from how others work; what was your goal, were you trying to make a statement? (Not all art makes a statement, some is just expression.) I have a short version and a long version of my artist statement saved on the computer so that it is ready when I need it. I may tweak it for a particular venue or purpose, but it is basically there and ready to go. There is nothing “personal” in it, I don’t talk about where I live, where I went to school, what I studied; I make no mention of my family. I don’t think it is even relevant to mention who you have studied with or whose workshops you have taken. This is about why you do what you do, and what you want the viewer to look for in your work.
So what should you take away from all this seemingly unrelated jibberish today? You need to listen to your inner voice and follow what it tells you to do. Whether it is in finding your voice, working on a particular piece, finding and maintaining the motivation to keep working, artist statements or speaking to others. The simple thing to remember is to be true to yourself.
And, please let me hear from you. Post comments, send me photos of your work. Making art may be a solitary activity but blogging doesn’t need to be. I want to hear from you and see what you are doing. Share with me!
And because I always think blog posts with pictures are more interesting than those without, I am closing with two pictures from yesterday’s beautiful snowstorm (beautiful because I did not need to go out in it!). First, my favorite tree:
and the bench on my front stoop, with blown snow on it:
