In DEEP

Sorry for the delay in writing. I never realize how much family vacations take to plan and execute. Our trip to Holden Beach, NC was fun but now I really need a vacation! Granddaughter loved the sand but was not much for the waves.
The October issue of DEEP magazinehttp://www.deepmag.com/ is out. It is not an easy magazine to find but it is a classy magazine. It can be found at Barnes and Noble in the regional or fashion section or at Books-a-Million in the fashion section. My work is on pages 46-51 with three of those pages being full color images of my work and the commentary makes me sound smarter that I am. I did say those things but the arrangement is extraordinary.Interesting enough the "Pillars and Pedestal" work is the only work recently to be accepted into shows. I shouldn't complain because they are winning awards and being seen but it does make me wonder if I'm just a flash in the pan and I'll never measure up to this series. I could continue on in the same direction...that is not my style. When I have had my fill of the subject it almost makes me ill to try to squeeze one more out. So, I will move on and brave the rejections. I make art because I love solving problems visually and expressing my thoughts symbolically. I hate repetition. I'm working in my head on a new idea based on the fact that I love working on paper but I dislike having to always frame it for preservation(costly and too sterile). so, how can I make art on paper and preserve it without framing??? I'll keep you informed about my ideas.

New steps- baby or big?

Two pieces were accepted into the Schwa Show in Greenville, NC at the Emerge Gallery. One is a piece that DEEP magazine was interested in called "Nancy Hart". The DEEP October issue should have something pertaining to my work in it on the "Pillars and Pedestal" series. The issue will be out the 1st week of October. I'm so new at this stuff that I didn't even ask what the format would be for the presentation. I was just thrilled they wanted it. Could be good or could be bad... we will see.

I haven't had much time to create lately. I have a beautiful granddaughter that I need to play with and while I am playing I am planning my strategy for getting my work to be noticed and hopefully sold or represented by the right gallery.

Wrapping It Up

This is my last week of studio time at the McColl Center. It has been great. One part is longing to stay the other is ready for a new challenge, maybe a little closer to home = the hour commute most days has gotten very old, especially with gas so costly. A couple of my works from the "Pillar and Pedestal" have sold and some of the others are destined for upcoming shows so I won't have to fill both guest bathtubs with artwork. My own walls are full and temperature controlled storage is more that I want to spend. Loaning out to friends might work but remembering who has what is another mind-boggler.

The newest work is about tying up all the loose ends when you start or stop something. "Containing Energy" is a monoprint using two different plates and miscellaneous stamps made from EZ-cut plates. I think of it as a visual reminder to save some (energy) for other things. I like the thick lassoing line and the energy in the background areas caused by purposely poor printing of the first plate.

Well back to packing. Soon.

Establishing Ground

It's been a struggle to establish a direction in which to work. I think I over thought the whole issue. I do have a habit of making things difficult for myself. If it comes easily it is not good- what stupid thinking! But even knowing this I continue to do it. Well, anyway I finally just decided to play with art supplies, gawd forbid that I thought about the money involved in this "play". I began by printing large monoprints; sometimes, printing one or two other monoprints on top of the original image. Then I played storyteller and dialogued with each piece by printing and painting shapes and images to represent my story. Being just a slight bit off normal makes for some unusual tales. A couple of the finished pieces are here. They remind me of some work I did last year, a series based on joss paper. Check out http://www.gastoncountyartguild.com/ and look under the gallery for my name and view a few of them. Tell me if you see any similarities.

I really am attached to these pieces and wonder if its just me or will others appreciate and enjoy them. The value of each piece is in the stories that can be told through them. There are many beginnings and endings encapsulated in one image. Blended in the top and bottom edges are bits of the story I had in mind when I created them, you can see an example in the 4th image shown here, but, they are open to any story the viewer can access from the images. I think I am finding my way again...wonder where it will take me?

Coming to grips with it all

I'm still floundering with my vision for my new work. Stepping back to an old theme only makes me want to run-sideways, in circles, back and forth- but, not ahead. I'm over it. I want to move on. I've satisfied my curiousity about the subject and even tho' many could argue there is more to explore I have had my fill. The ADHD has spoken!
The images are pieces of my recent work from my most recent two series, "Learning DisAballing" and "Pillars and Pedestals" hanging at McColl Center for Visual Arts in Charlotte, NC. It is a wonderful gallery/workspace for artists. The other seven affiliate artists at this time are so willing to share ideas, techniques and critical input. Unfortuately for me, I so often shy away from critiques about my work. Unless I want to stay stagnant I need to open up and hear views from other people in the field - this is not a profound statement but one that I find hard to explore. My fear is that in hearing other's approaches and ideas I will become less of me-not the 100% inventor of my artistic world. I could dilute the power of my vision by letting interlopers in. How egotistical is that! I guess I still have the college hangover of if you do everything the instructors says you will make a good grade, even if it is against your personal journey. Can you tell I made "A"'s in art class? Can you also tell I came out of school without a clue as to what my own style and purpose was? Right on both accounts.
In not inviting information from these knowledgeable people I admire and that have strong purpose and direction for their own visions, I might spend way too long coming to conclusions that are there for the asking. Hopefully, I will ask for insight and will take from it what I deem represents my focus.

Revisiting the old

I feel I am not progressing in my work the way I want to. To be honest, I don't know where I am going - no vision on things to come or directions in which to go. When I get to this point I find revisting my old work can give me a foundation and with two steps back I can go at least one forward, not exactly ahead but in the right direction.
the series before "Learning DisAballing" was titled " Pillars and Pedestals" . The premise was based on an old friend of mine who moved from New York when he was 15. His vision was Southern girls were easy bait for a suave Northen boy. He stated he quickly found out that Southern girls were as easy to push around as cement trucks. This series of 16 mixed media pieces was based on that contradiction. I researched Southern women of the Civil War era because I assumed that most of the stereotype was based from that period.
Shown here are three examples of this series. Each piece is based on a Southern female maverick. I didn't want the work to be portraiture. Instead, I wanted to reflect the spirit and energy of the individual's personality. The stitching seen in each represents the schooling of the young women of that time period, needlework instead of reading and writing. But, the stitching is wild and the thread starts and stops in unruly mannergiving a hint at the feelings of these girls. The image of a pillar or pedestal is always in the shadows or background representing the standard for ladylike behavior; all these women abandoned their post and ran their own show. The tattered "shards" are the layers and hidden levels of these women. Each torn "piece of petticoat" has a part in telling the story of these more typical than not Southern ladies.
This concentration of work was exciting and had purpose. I need to find another experience or...maybe keep going with these "kin folk". There are more women to portray. Maybe I stopped too soon. At least until something else strikes a cord this could keep me moving artistically.

Finding the Way

This piece of art is 30"x40". It is a mixed medium image in the LD series, titled "Which way is Right?". At the moment it hangs at the McColl Center of Visual Art in Charlotte,NC. The idea is that you are looking at the back of a canvas (see the board and hanger?), where the hidden message is. It also represents how people purseve individuals with different...creative learning challenges, backwards. The drawings are subconscious ramblings and seem to be drawn in the wrong direction for the way it is hung. Hidden amongst the drawings are statements about dealing with learning problems, specifically, knowing right from left. How many times have I witnessed or been the victim of the famous line," No, your other left"? Constantly I have to air write to remember which hand I write with so that I can distinguish which way is the correct or incorrect way to go. Paintbrushes in the upper corner, right corner?...left corner?..Who cares...are my symbols for creative problem solving, I learned, finally, that if I drew my notes in class I could keep up with the information and succeed in school. My disability definitely helped me in my pursuit to be an artist. Early on I found ways through unique visual cues to keep up with the majority.

Learning Dis-A-balling Series

Alright. I got one of the images on. This work is a 30" x40" mixed medium piece titled "Decode This" and is part of a 5 piece series, "Learning Dis A balling". The series is based on the plaguing effects of learning problems in society. The intent is to make aware visually the learning flaws that are often misdiagnosed as stupidity or laziness. If you can't spell and don't use periods, you are dumb. If you change words, skip words or don't know simple words you are a moron. If you write numbers and letters backwards or reverse their order,"there is something wrong with you". You learn, as I have, to combat and correct the mental disconnects externally but the insults no matter how benign play havoc with your soul. This piece visualizes the problem of decoding symbols in everyday life. From styles of fonts to definition of words we constantly decode. When a problem in decoding these forms of communication exists the results can be devastating or hilarious or somewhere in between. Thank heaven for spell/grammer check

June 14, 2007

I've done it. I finally conquered my fear of the byways and highways of the internet. My purpose for this milestone is to get my artwork out of my little comfort zone and get constructive criticism from others. Now to figure out how to get my work posted...