I was home alone in my apartment for a week...and went a little crazy (artistically). I made an installation in my kitchen that eventually encroached upon the living room. I essentially destroyed my house with art. And, my hand might fall off as a result of cutting an inordinate amount of paper, but I like where this is going. I want to do more as soon as I physically can!

When I took a break from cutting out my words, I worked on these altered books that will showcase a portrait of individuals I met/interviewed in Germany this past summer.

Also not such a great week.  I did, however, research my materials and delve deep down into the library to find treasures of folklore and symbology. I began reading and researching about birds, animals, and "wise women." I think I'm a swallow (or at least I want to be).

 

 

Branding

I think it is still difficult for me to talk about my art and what type of art I do, because I have varied interests. When people ask what my “specialty” is, I say education. Of course, they are more interested in what type of medium I use, and so I shrug my shoulders and say that I am primarily a two-dimensional, mixed media artist. Content wise, I am an expressive, figurative painter.  All of my work is very emotionally driven.

Non-art people may brand me as a quiet, thoughtful, and expressive artist. I’m not sure exactly the labels others would give me, but non-traditional (in the academic, illustrative sense) might be one of them. I think most gather a sense of feminism in my work. Perhaps, they would label me as a feminist artist. I believe I am a feminist, but I don’t know if I would willingly label myself as such.

I worked on some more cut outs. I have four mobiles now. I just need an entire gallery full without giving myself carpal tunnel.

 I added my favorite scripture to my studio wall. Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thy own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Honestly, I've put my tissue paper paintings on the back burner because I had so many conflicting criticisms. I haven't had the energy to try them again with all their issues. They're technically frustrating and somewhat conceptually frustrating too, because I need to reconcile my materials and process with what I'm really trying to say.

This week I continued to work on my cut outs and  stencil/spray paintings. I tried out plastic table cloth, which sort of worked. I'll be excited to cut into some thicker paper Cassandra donated to me.

I'm typically not overtly religious in my work, but I cut out a scripture verse this week. Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" These word cut outs are quite therapeutic for me and I think I'm just going to write and cut and write and cut until I've said enough.

In fact, I had to do another piece last night to cope with some disappointment. Sometimes I feel totally irrational and a little crazy, or obsessive when I make art. I think that's "normal" for artists. I hope it is. I don't know, maybe this stuff isn't art but I have to do it. I have to make this stuff. And, maybe it's the process that's more important to me. This piece is more about the ridiculous amount of time and effort it took to make. It's more about the left over scraps and throw aways than the actual words themselves.