This is post 100 and I am still learning new skills.
For the last three weeks I’ve attend Mixed Media Mondays at Bellevue Art and Frame.Under Nan’s cheerful tuition we been exploring how to get to that final layer in Mixed Media composition.
Think it’s time to get out my old altered day book and create some more pages.Surface reduction is the new play area.
So today was tactile art day.
As ever a fun time sharing and exploring.
I have been helping out with the installation of African American quilts at my local museum and this inspired one of our projects today.I really wanted to encourage the group to focus on different media and their application to surfaces.The thing that I took away from the year studying fiber arts is the surface really does matter.How we use that surface as artist gives us an infinite voice and place for expression.
We also took a stroll to the class installation.Four blocks ,three guide dogs and eight artists enjoyed a verbally described and tactile tour.
We also discuss ART the project to be installed at a Seattle housing project.We are planning the biggest braille installation in the world.Now that will be a challenge and a great image to share.
Artist Statement
I feel we are all the sum of our experiences; some moments are more inspirational than others.
In creating “Up” I am seeking to explore a visual and tactile representation of the children’s rights charter. The charter was ratified by the United Nations in 1989 on the 30th anniversary, in 2009, of its publication. Yet there are still inequalities throughout the world. This installation seeks to support a dialogue around the impact of embracing this document.
Prior to my arrival in the Bellevue area in 2008 I was a pediatric nurse/teacher in Oxford, England. In 2002 I was a member of a partnership project between Save the Children Fund and the local health care providers around the implementation of children’s rights. The goal of this partnership was to focus on complex health care needs in multi-agency settings.
In April 2011 I had the privilege of being the sighted guide for two visually impaired friends as we visited the Gates Foundation first open house. The foundation has donated more than $16 billion in grants intended to ensure that all people have the opportunity to live healthy, productive lives.
This visit led me to reflect back to the partnership that was geared around working for children’s rights – the conceptually seeds for this installation were sewn.
Through experience of volunteering at Bellevue Art Museum as a docent I lived with the exhibits researching, sharing and celebrating artist’s creations. A piece titled “United States of North America” by Erika Harrsch was a component of the exhibition “Travelers:Objects of Dream and Revelation.” It created an installation of a passport office this gave me a place to muse, create early drawings, concepts while holding the role of a fictitious passport official.
My hope by creating this installation is to develop a space that is accessible for people to discuss how children’s rights can be implemented throughout the world.
I had never thought about how this would look from the side and like it !
Yep it just had to be done!
Yesterday we had some young students join us for the tactile art class.We had fun !
6 pairs of hands one small space
My technical knowledge of clay is a pinch pot and a coiled pot.This was enough of a step off point for this small group.We explored surfaces,form and the muscle memory needed to create.
I also got to share my prototypes for the final show.All three classes that met them yesterday gave positive feedback.After I did some very guerrilla art installing while a very high brow conference was in process at UW tower.
Quick visual confirmation of space for finals show
Coat hanger will go but I really needed to check the scale.The blue crew will go for the final installation they are just sizing tools. 12 white sentinels and 42 green themed guys each representing an article of the children’s rights charter will be included.I have 18 pieces of hand painted,layered and stitched paper-cloth.Hardest part is cutting the first one up !
So between the clay and prepping to go back to class tomorrow ( yes that much passion just has to be resolved !) I slipped into the Gauguin exhibit with my tactile art crew.
This is the clip that was recorded for the local news show.You don’t get to see me but that is the back of my head as we squeeze into the elevator.
Click for the video
So looking forward to expanding these tours to new venues
Wow I have never seen so many surfaces- met so many fantastic people than over the past three days.
I had the pleasure of being the greeter for the NCECA last evening and be docent in the galleries at BAM today.Wonderful clay artists shared their work.For me new connections were made.Professors and their students experienced the gallery space.
Steffano asked me last night if I was have fun – the answer is yes !
I am a twitcher.For those of you that don’t understand I’ll explain.
I love birds because they survive and adapt to their environment.On rare occasions we may be privileged to share a moment in time with them.
This was my weekend sharing captured by my very talented hubby.
Trying to find away to be constructive in March is always a challenge .The usual weather doesn’t help either.We had snow 4 days in the last 8 days-yet the trees are still in bloom and spring seems so near. Actually it officially started yesterday but as ever someone forgot to inform the weather system over the Eastside.
Trying to kick start the creative muse I’ve set my self a wee challenge.A series of personal geographies .Started yesterday with a wee reflection of the snow covered side walk and the street below.6×4 to start with but I’m already exploring a bigger form.
The “buttons” were inspired by Nina Perkins tutorial .I adapted them as I have no enamel in my current supplies but that will change very soon.
So why did I join the Fiber Arts class ? To expand my horizons and understand more may be.
No it was to write artists statement and conform to the norms of the “profession”.There is an “about” statement below.Anyone could take the time to read it.Instead we have to reinvent the wheel and discuss the conforms and influences of the Art society in the area.In the prescribed university speak.
For me making art is about exploring creating and enjoying a process.My life has been too full of other things at other times to allow for this constant introspection and conformity.If I choose not to engage then that is my conscious choice.Choice and balance are my keys.
If I’m available where a piece is displayed then ask, but if you don’t truly want to know just explore the object before you and enjoy a moment of quiet wondering.I see things at different times in my pieces and I’m sure others do too.
While I create something there are many dialogues some easier to understand than others that are very complex.Art doesn’t happen in a straight line in paragraphs, punctuation and text.It happens from emotion and finding a place to stop when that moment is expressed.
As you can probably tell I personally don’t value artists statements as a tool.As I see attending the course as a way to expand my tool set I’m currently feeling a little conflicted.My current choice is to continue to engage in a process that I don’t feel comfortable with-such familiar shoes to be wearing.The other option is withdraw from the course.
Time will definitely tell with this conundrum.
So nice to be back in class.We’d had a heads up re our first assignment.50 collages in two weeks but the plus two 14×14 collages was a surprise.I’m up to 37 in the first three days so I’m going to back off a bit to extend the fun.
The key is being organized ,sounds easy but for me it takes focus.I’m used to making book pages and wanted to do an altered page swap this year so have just applied those principles to the task at have.Art quilting experience has helped too.
This is the first batch of 20.
The stack
I am going to be more selective with my choice for the next 13 off to choose the foundation images not just free flow.
