Ways to be an artist

As the librarian in charge of the fine arts collection, I have created an online guide meant to help art students, faculty, and those wishing to browse in this area of the library. Some sample screen shots are included.

In this guide I have included information on how to find books and materials, appropriate databases related to art research, and sample images of titles in the collection. Links to Web Sites that might be useful are also included. In addition, there is information on how to contact the library, librarians, and request items to add to the collection.

A link to the guide can be found here.

I posted this guide to illustrate just one example of the numerous ways artists can practice their art making and not go the route of the "starving artist." Several years ago, after completing my BFA, I thought the only other route to viably producing art was to teach. I believed that in order to teach a subject one would have to maintain a steady practice of that discipline, and thought that teaching art would allow me the opportunity to continue this process.

While teaching art courses, at any level, certainly offers artists a steady income and the ability to learn vicariously through the students, it is not the only way. Throughout my undergrad and graduate studies I worked in different libraries, first as a student worker, and then in other roles. During this time I became aware of the Art Library Society if America (ARLIS/NA) and of art librarianship. I enjoyed the library environment, and the ability to combine art and libraries was very appealing. I enrolled in library school, and have now joined the ranks of librarians and information professionals devoted to the arts.

But there are still other ways. Part of my studies in library school included an internship at the Hanson Library in the Birmingham Museum of Art (mentioned previously in this blog). This experience exposed me not only to the professional world of a special library, but I also had the opportunity to interact with other departments and people within the museum. These people are also very active in the visual arts and have the same opportunities to learn, grow, and practice art making as those who teach.

There are those who may argue that taking one of these routes removes the artist from the studio. However, I have stated before that much of what makes the work of an artist valuable is the experiences that he/she has put in to the work of art. Creating art is a process that includes observation and experience as much or more as it does time in the studio making art. Art is not created in a vacuum and exposure to the resources in libraries and museums helps build a framework, a background, and a context from which to speak.

One other thing that I would like to start including in these postings is a list of calls to artists. I am on several listservs for such calls, and it would impossible to participate in every one. But by posting some of those opportunities here, perhaps you could find one of interest and participate yourself. Here are three such opportunities:


1. DEADLINE: Fri, October 28, 2011
3rd Ward Open Call for Art
Location: NY
Artists, This could be the next step in launching your career. You’re invited to join the 3rd Ward Fall 2011 Open Call, an international search for exciting, innovating and compelling artwork awarding over $25,000 in prizes, including a one month live/work residency in NYC, a $5,000 grant and your very own New York City solo exhibition. http://www.3rdwardopencall.com/?f=pam1 Plus, all participants will be considered for the $1,000 People's Choice Award Awarded to the artist whose portfolio garners the highest number of public votes.

www.3rdwardopencall.com/?f=pam1

2. DEADLINE: Tue, November 01, 2011
8th Biennial National Art Juried Exhibition
Location: FL
Punta Gorda, FL. Open to all traditional two-dimensional drawing and painting media. Juror: Dean Mitchell, A.W.S., N.W.S. Digital entry deadline Nov. 1, 2011. Show dates Feb. 4-Mar. 11, 2012. Prize total $6500. Prospectus: www.visualartcenter.org. Questions: vac@daystar.net. Located on Charlotte Harbor off Gulf Coast.

www.visualartcenter.org

3. DEADLINE: Thu, December 01, 2011
Flora and Fauna: Narrative through Icongraphy
Location: NY
Flora and Fauna: Narrative through Iconography A juried exhibit at Lockhart Gallery, SUNY Geneseo For generations, artists have used signs and symbols from nature to impart meaning in their artwork. Audiences of previous eras were well-versed in this seemingly covert language. Each icon usually has several different meanings; for instance a rabbit may mean fertility, longevity, femininity or rebirth. . . For more information go to: geneseo.edu/galleries/flora-and-fauna

www.geneseo.edu/galleries

Update on last week, and thoughts on art education

As you can see from the image, I am back up an running. This is a painting that I started earlier this summer, but never finished. I'm glad to be working again, when I do not make art I get cranky. I think this will be the last of the large-scale flower images (at least for a while). It might be an interesting idea to pursue later, but for now it's time to let that idea rest.

The second part of this posting is going to be devoted to thoughts on arts education. In the UK options are being weighed for the elimination of arts programming in some schools. For more specific information click here. New curricula are being formulated that center on math, English, science, foreign languages and either history or geography.

While these subjects are important, I do not believe they should be the sole focus of an education program. In the article linked above, the director of learning at the Tate Museum stated that courses in art bring students into alternative ways of thinking and addressing problems. She stated that this is needed in contemporary times and that western society has always valued innovation going back to the Renaissance.

I agree with these statements. The arts develop creativity, and with creativity new directions in subjects like math, English, science etc. are realized. When I was teaching art appreciation, one of the things I tried to impart was how connected the arts are to everyday human thought and interaction. Students were often amazed when this was pointed out, and it was from this teaching experience that I learned how this occurs on a subconscious level. Until it was pointed out to them, students did not realize how art shapes individual thought and opinion. After the fact, I noticed that students were drawing these comparisons on their own and bringing a vibrancy to the learning process that was previously missing.

Whether this stayed with them after they left my class I cannot say. However, I believe if the arts were more present in the school curriculum at an earlier age of development students would be better learners by the time they got to middle and high school. The links between subjects and thought could be consciously drawn, and built upon, leading to new innovations and developments.

Making your mark

For the fourth time this year I have had to pack up and move. The end result is pictured above. Fortunately, since the time this picture was taken, I have made progress and I've got some since of order back in place. I have not started painting yet (my poor easel has not been this idle for a long time), and it has been some time since I have posted here, but I'm making progress. This return to blogging is going to be about leaving your mark.

The image above depicts the most recent issue of Professional Artist. In it is an article by Matthew Daub, an art professor from Pennsylvania. Here he discussed the importance of creating works of art, and described how one should move to make his/her art stand for something.

To make his point, Daub drew comparisons between the work of a young art student at the Art Institute of Chicago, and the work of Goya (specifically The Third of May.). The author wrote how this student portrayed the then recently deceased mayor of Chicago, Harold Washington, unfavorably. The author stated that at the time, Washington was quite popular and his death came as a shock to residents of the city. When the work of this student was revealed Daub explained that outrage quickly gripped the city and the aldermen went so far as to pass a resolution to have the painting removed. When this failed several of these aldermen took it upon themselves to remove the painting, resulting in the paintings destruction, and ultimately a civil rights case with the ACLU (Daub 6).

The context of the work is central in this instance. Daub stated that now, more than 20 years later, if he were to show this painting to his art students in Pennsylvania there would be little reaction. By contrast, the author pointed out that Goya's third of May has transcended time. He wrote that in Goya's work it is relatively unimportant to know that the troops are French, and the civilians unarmed. The image speaks more broadly and addresses the horrors of war on another greater level (Daub 7).

Daub concluded by stating that it is unfair to compare the work of a student to that of an established master. However, the point addressed was very clear. As artists we have got to use our art as a speaking tool. Whether it is a statement of profound observation that speaks to generations, or an irreverent jab at society, art can express many points of view and artists should take a stand to leave a mark.

Daub, M. (2011) Marking Your Territory. Professional Artist September 6-7.

Scale (Again) and Google Earth Art

Image Courtesy of Rueters

Since my last two postings had something to do with scale, I see no reason to switch topics now. A recent news item, that I found last week, described the creation of a large scale statue in Hamburg, Germany. This statue is described in the article as depicting a giant mermaid in Alster lake. This sculpture is intriguing to me, and I would really like to know how it was constructed. The coloration on it is fabulous. It is to be on display until August 12 (So if you can get to Hamburg before then, definitely do it). The full article can be read here.

This sculpture reminds me of another located in Washington, D.C. This second sculpture, called "The Awakening," depicts a giant male figure emerging from the earth.

Image Courtesy of Wordpress.

As I look at these, I am lead to wonder. What drives these artists to create large-scale figurative sculptures? Is it the lore of giants? Is it just a playfulness of scale? What about the way they are presented? One is half submerged in water, while the other is in the solid ground. Does this use of water versus land create a different context for each piece? I do enjoy looking at these sculptures, I would just like to know more about them. This is a positive reaction towards a work of art, and should probably be a goal of all artists when creating a new piece. What do you think?

The second item I wanted to post is not about scale. Rather, it is about using a tool (Google Earth) in a new and creative way. A recent NPR article profiled the work of Jenny Odell (linked here). She described her work as an examination of that which is often overlooked. She said that when the items are cut out of a satellite map, and placed adjacently to one another, they lose their individual context and a new meaning is formed that suggests fragility. The article went on to describe how it is human nature to break items down and to categorize them.

While this is true, I am fascinated by the creative use of Google Earth. I think it's great when someone can see a new and creative way of using something not intended by the inventors. Human expression takes many forms, and this is an example of building upon the ideas of others. The result is a sort of collaboration that communicates ideas in a unique way.

3 Part Post

PART I

As a practicing artist, I receive several calls-to-artists every week. Last week I saw a particularly interesting call for book artists. I am not a book artist, and I am involved in several other projects at the moment, so I do not have time to explore this. However, I think it is extremely interesting. So if you would like to do this, I heartily encourage you to do so. The Athenaeum of Philadelphia is a museum and library devoted to books bound in unique formats. Among these include designs by Margaret Armstrong, Olive Grover and the studio artists of Decorative Designers. Using these designs as inspiration, the museum is asking for participation in the creation of new items. The full call for participation can be read here. If you do decide to participate please comment here, so we can see what you are doing.

Part II

Last week while traveling I stopped in Jamestown, NY. This is a unique community in Western New York, that among other things, features locally produced art works on the exterior walls of the buildings downtown. This is a group effort organized by the Jamestown High School, Jamestown Civic Organization, and Jamestown Community College. The images below illustrate this concept.

I think this is a fabulous idea. It showcases local artists, communicates unique ideas, and helps build a sense of community. This takes the gallery concept and brings it outdoors, where more people could potentially see it. If you are worried about damage to the art, this has been addressed and all pieces are protected from the elements by plexiglass. I would love to see this develop in other communities.

Part III

My last posting addressed the issue of scale. As I read through my post, I realized I forgot to include examples of the watercolor moving across the page. So for this post I am including two extreme art close-ups detailing the way aqueous media work. In the image below, a larger scale has been used, and the water has more room to run and drip.

In this second image, a smaller size paper was used and the water had less room to run down the page. This resulted in more color blending.

Another factor of this effect which I feel I must add, is the finish of the paper used. A smoother paper finish will also allow for more water to run. If you are using a rough watercolor paper, more blending will occur. These are things to consider if you decide to use this technique. That's it for now. Please leave your comments for next time, and thanks for reading.

Scale

This week I thought I would post a little about scale. Scale, or the size that an artist decides to work with, is one of the first choices he/she will make when beginning a work.

Of course the image above is just for fun, because we are clearly not talking about that kind of scale.

In a recent discussion with a friend, my acquaintance mentioned one of my works and described it as large. The dimensions of the piece in question is 30" X 22". This is by no means small, but compared to my other works it is significantly smaller. I didn't say anything, but in the back of my mind I was thinking "Hmm...that's actually a smaller image." This got me thinking about my works, the sizes they are, and why I generally paint in large scales.

To answer these questions I think it's important to understand the way I work. For the most part I paint in watercolor. I like the freedom and ease of the medium, but I also like the nature of using water to paint. I like the drippy, sloppy, runny quality of the brush and paint. Frequently I will intentionally hang my paper on the wall as I work in order to get the drips of water to flow more fluidly. This effect is enhanced in larger scales. I have done this with smaller works, but often the paint just blends together. With a smaller scale the resulting image still contains the free flow of water, but lacks individual droplets.

This explains a little of why I like to paint on large surfaces. I think there are other factors, but I don't want this post to be overly long. I will therefore stop with what I have said. What do you think? What scales do you work in? What are the scales of some of your favorite works of art? Do you think they would still be effective if they were created smaller or larger?

Art News: Theft and Death

I have been in the process of moving. This has meant that there was not a lot of time to think about the blog. So, for this posting I'm going to direct you to two recent news items involving the art world.

On Tuesday July 5, 2011 a Picasso drawing was stolen from a gallery in San Francisco. The full story can be read here. I'm not sure what can be done about art theft. It seems to be an ongoing problem. One of my favorite paintings (The Scream) was stolen a few years ago, and was eventually recovered. This is often the end result. I'm not sure why people would want to steal these items, as there is virtually no re-sale option, and it also robs the public of an opportunity to see art, but it does seem to be an ongoing issue.

This week also saw the death of artist Cy Twombly. I was not a fan of his work, and I often used it my "Is it Art?" game when teaching. However, his contribution to the art world has been recognized, and it is sad to see another artist go. The full story can be read here.

I welcome your comments, which could be used for future blog entries. So feel free to discuss these items, or even previous posts. I'll see you next time.