For a moment I have to revert to the seemingly cliche art title of 'untitled'. Sometimes the work that we are doing does not seem to have a particular focus nor does the body of work seem to have a theme nor does it suggest it name so for now it is 'untitled'.
I had the good fortune to spend a day with my good friend Dave, just jabbering away about everything and nothing.
The everything includes the CD is he working on recording. I am looking forward to the end of the summer as that is the predicted completion date for it. To me, he has a wonderful voice and good solid guitar skill, and I already know that I am biased. It will be largely comprised of his own compositions and that is a departure for Dave in his recordings where he has already worked with a few other artists and recorded a lot of folk music. I think that this work will be edgier and a lot more fun to listen to.
We tossed about some philosophical discussion on life, hinted at a few collaborative ideas and discussed nothing in the form of how, with summer heat and humidity approaching, that antiperspirants make for unsightly gobs of sticky greyish-white goop in one's arm-pit hair.
There is something to be said for taking time for a lot of coffee, which is far cheaper to rent than beer, with an old friend. It leads to a lot of off the wall topics, a lot of belly laughs, and a clearer head for going back into the studio to get the jobs done that are immediately pending. It's also good to have already planned the next escape from the studio and in effect the initial pursuit of a possible project.
Showing posts with label socializing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label socializing. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, October 15, 2007
Get Out of the Studio
This is a note for all of us that private studios: i.e. we do not share space in a building with other artisans or share a studio with room with other artists.
Nothing can be created in a vacuum. I'm sure that you have heard that before and I know that it is true.
Without social interaction with other artists we have a tendency to forget what it is that is good about our work and I say this because we just had the opportunity to spend two and a half wonderful days in one of Fredericton's landmark artists' buildings. The upstairs houses a record store (yes, with real vinyl LP's), a photo studio, a wonderful "pop-art" artist and 2 more visual artists and a mixed media fabric artist. It's not a lot of artists by some standards but it is more than I see on a daily bases.
The joy of this interaction, including going to the Art Trek opening on Friday night is that for the first time in ages, we had a real social time with other artists, not a show where we are all concentrating on prices and money and customer service and mailing lists and unpacking and setting-up and tearing down and packing-up... but just concentrating on the art and the person who made it. What a change. I know that visitors to show concentrate on the art and the artists but as artists, it just seems that we never have much time for that. It feels good.
It feels good to discuss line, and colour and uses of negative space and to see how other artists react to each others' work and how they apply 'art-speak' to the work. I know that for me, it brought me back around to the more subtle aspects of what we do, not just the technical aspects of construction or the business side of it but the real artistry of well made and wearable jewelry as art, or at least fine craft for those that argue the art/craft thing that could take days.
I love having the private studio now, I can work anytime of night or day, as necessary or as the spirit moves me, I have few interruptions, except what I allow, I do not have to explain what I am doing at that moment to anyone who walks in the door, as hardly anyone ever visits without calling first to make sure that 1) I'm actually in and 2) that I am not wearing my PJ's to work. BUT I love getting out of it too.
I love meeting new people, especially like-minded. I love hearing the critical reviews of the works being shown by myself and by other artists which keeps me on my toes and keeps me thinking about how to better use space and colour and line. I get another person's opinion of what works and what doesn't in our jewelry. And besides, most artists are really great and only tell you what they really like and why and that tells you everything you need to know by omission.
So, when you are feeling isolated and unsure of the work, get out of the studio, go to an opening, find an art group, just do something social that relates to your chosen art. It's like blowing a hole in the side of a dungeon to let in the light and fresh air and provide a way in and out. Just make sure that when you leave the studio that you are carrying your business cards and that you are willing to talk to people that you meet. The opportunities to make good useful connections with your fellow artisans abound at these events.
If you don't normally do this at least once a month, try it this month and see what happens, you might like it.
-C
Nothing can be created in a vacuum. I'm sure that you have heard that before and I know that it is true.
Without social interaction with other artists we have a tendency to forget what it is that is good about our work and I say this because we just had the opportunity to spend two and a half wonderful days in one of Fredericton's landmark artists' buildings. The upstairs houses a record store (yes, with real vinyl LP's), a photo studio, a wonderful "pop-art" artist and 2 more visual artists and a mixed media fabric artist. It's not a lot of artists by some standards but it is more than I see on a daily bases.
The joy of this interaction, including going to the Art Trek opening on Friday night is that for the first time in ages, we had a real social time with other artists, not a show where we are all concentrating on prices and money and customer service and mailing lists and unpacking and setting-up and tearing down and packing-up... but just concentrating on the art and the person who made it. What a change. I know that visitors to show concentrate on the art and the artists but as artists, it just seems that we never have much time for that. It feels good.
It feels good to discuss line, and colour and uses of negative space and to see how other artists react to each others' work and how they apply 'art-speak' to the work. I know that for me, it brought me back around to the more subtle aspects of what we do, not just the technical aspects of construction or the business side of it but the real artistry of well made and wearable jewelry as art, or at least fine craft for those that argue the art/craft thing that could take days.
I love having the private studio now, I can work anytime of night or day, as necessary or as the spirit moves me, I have few interruptions, except what I allow, I do not have to explain what I am doing at that moment to anyone who walks in the door, as hardly anyone ever visits without calling first to make sure that 1) I'm actually in and 2) that I am not wearing my PJ's to work. BUT I love getting out of it too.
I love meeting new people, especially like-minded. I love hearing the critical reviews of the works being shown by myself and by other artists which keeps me on my toes and keeps me thinking about how to better use space and colour and line. I get another person's opinion of what works and what doesn't in our jewelry. And besides, most artists are really great and only tell you what they really like and why and that tells you everything you need to know by omission.
So, when you are feeling isolated and unsure of the work, get out of the studio, go to an opening, find an art group, just do something social that relates to your chosen art. It's like blowing a hole in the side of a dungeon to let in the light and fresh air and provide a way in and out. Just make sure that when you leave the studio that you are carrying your business cards and that you are willing to talk to people that you meet. The opportunities to make good useful connections with your fellow artisans abound at these events.
If you don't normally do this at least once a month, try it this month and see what happens, you might like it.
-C
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