This feather may look worthless, but it comes from afar, and carries with it all my good intentions.
-The Joy Luck Club
Last week I posted the third piece in this continuing series, Quoth the Raven. And since then, we've had another awesome critique. This new form of critique has been the best thing for me, ever. In undergrad, getting someone to even speak one word to me about my work was like getting blood out of a turnip. This system ensures people will speak. Here is a link to an essay regarding the new crit process, Liberatory Critique, written by the head of my program. It's a very important and meaningful process for me especially, given that I am used to getting a ton of absolute, and stunning silence in my life and art....even on here. Usually I am swimming in my own head because of this fact, and so I think, "To hell with what everyone else thinks, because I'm not sure they think about anything I produce at all." And here we are again. With the aid of my visitor tracker, I know that people do come, do look, but often don't say a word or leave a comment. We'll see what happens, I guess, but it's disheartening, and it's polarizing.
The second piece from this series that I presented to my fellow MACA students is this print/watercolor regarding again, the subject of Koinonia, and one aspect of that word, 'sharing'. I decided to share some of the wealth of what I have seen in Baltimore thus far. But other than that, I have used the image of a dancer again (movement), and one of my favorite thoughts/phrases, the quote from the Joy Luck Club, written above.
Quoth the Raven - Carry
The titles are like a time stamp. "Baltimore-time". So I have again, used the Poe reference of the raven. I think of these pieces as metaphors for how I feel going into this 'Community Arts' masters program. I want to fly, and I want to help carry the weight of others. I want everything/everyone I see, and smell, and hear, and feel, to be able to SOAR to magnificent effect.
Well, thanks for stopping, now I have Artscape fun with my sites' Youth, I taught them collograph printmaking techniques, and they have BRILLIANTLY assimilated the process! Artscape is America's largest free arts festival, located in Baltimore, Maryland. YAY!
10 comments:
i love this and dont know why. as someone who isnt good at recognizing art, or feelings period, all i know is that it makes me feel warm and wondersome.
i find myself wanting to climb into the lighter side of the face and be cradled there...i dont know.
well, this new crit process is about what you see, and what you feel, and why you feel it. almost solely.
so, you ARE good at recognizing art. you just did and you knew why, i.e. you felt comfort.
fyi, i've getting a lot of that 'comfort' thing lately. maybe i'm learning how to be comforting...? or maybe i'm more comfortable with myself and my thoughts....?
I like the ‘Nevermore’ reference; it is haunting and it carries a lot of weight. In your circumstance, it seems you are leaving behind the old process (the frustrating and useless college critiques) and moving towards new ways of learning, thinking and creating, so ‘Nevermore’ is very meaningful. But your process and the piece indicate that although you are moving forward, you have a strong attachment to the past – in a good way - the images you use further reinforce that; the haunting face in the background that frames the figure like a doorway or a window, the dancer’s posture is one of taking flight. The colors are nice, too...like the hot orange of a setting sun, an ending and a beginning.
thanks d! sounds like you have been honing yer critique skillz!
D - p.s. you caught the window/face thing. yay. i thought more people would get it.
I am honing, thanks for noticing. You also gave me a lot to think about, it’s a really interesting piece. I really like the face-as-window thing, très cool.
I haven't been around much lately but I saw this pic/link on FB and had come in for a closer look. For me, this piece isn't as much comforting as it is stimulating. The color is so HOT and it makes me feel anxious and tense. Not to say it's a bad thing mind you. It's a "Look at me damn you... I'm going to fly away from this" kind of feeling. Strength, courage... her arms seem to be ready for attack, grabbing at the air feverishly. And this entire time, someone is watching, waiting for her to take flight.
thanks for the comments and interest heather! yeah, i liked the anticipation of the piece, i think.
how come you haven't been around?
I've been lost in my own little world, or so I've been told. I've completely abandoned the 52 In 2010 series and now it's more like 12 in 2010. I've been consumed with two larger pieces I'm working on. Eventually I'll get back to my blog and get some art up there. I'm also about to start another Art House Sketchbook Project. I'm just waiting for them to send me the book and info.
being a practicing artist is sometimes tiring, i feel ya. i'm looking forward to new blog posts though!
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