I have recently changed the name of this blog, and have not posted for small while. This basically is a result of also having recently spoken with an arts career coach, which had made me reflect on making a split in my activities. Her input was that if I have a goal of making a living from my paintings, which I see as a fine goal, then I should consider that the upfront information about my process may dissuade many prospective galleries from representing me.
I am surprised as I thought an intriguing back story was a positive element, that authenticity and the provocative are desirable. But maybe in my case I guess it is not the kind of provocative that sells. This is a very interesting inquiry in and of itself and fodder for more creation.
But I am deciding to accept this career input. And can also see how working within these limitations can give me increased possibility in my pursuits. I am still moving ahead with painting, concentrating on compositional structures that in the past have proven effective, and also will be focusing on creating event based pieces in which I will display myself in my process. I see that I can proceed more fully in each direction this way. The challenge of how to communicate what I do and how to make that understandable is mitigated. No one could guess the degree and depth of automatization I experience from looking at my paintings. I now relinquish the effort in wanting them to. But those that see me in my events will witness me and know in that way.
For the time being, those find me through my events will find a way to this blog and to my painting website. But the link now will not follow in the other direction. I do believe an integration will come in the two directions, but will come from the direction of my event presentations. Then the whole work may be apparent to those who want to discover.
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1 comment:
It seems you're being advised to present the *product of* your work, divorced from an explanation of the *reasoning and process behind* your work. Which probably makes sense for some, although it seems like a really big part of what you do has specifically to do with the process by which you arrive at the canvas with all the paint on it. It seems like the explanatory part is, like, /what you're about/ - it feels like that's what your work is. The impression I get is that the canvas itself is not very important, compared with the *act* of filling that canvas.
One way of presenting your work without all the words, but /with/ the process, might be to find a way to present your paintings as performance. To paint in front of an audience. This would be especially cool if you're into freaking out and stuff. It would also have the added bonus of forcing you to concentrate (even more) on what the process means to you - /why/ the process is so important and /what exactly/ that process is comprised of.
Cheers from NY!
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