BeeBalls - Terry Jarrard-Dimond
Wood, Brads, Paint
This week I attended a gallery talk by Spartanburg artist, Jane Nodine. Jane's current exhibition, Thermal Response, is being presented at Riverworks Gallery and in the campus galleries at the Greer Campus of Greenville Technical College.
Gallery talks in educational setting are most often planned for the benefit of the students and Jane herself is an educator. She is both an instructor and chair of the Art Department at the University of South Carolina Upstate. With this in mind, there were many art students in attendance.
During the talk Jane mentioned her history regarding the many mediums she has employed during her career which solicited the question from one of the students, "How do I find my medium?" The response from Jane was, "You try everything that is offered through your school program."
This is such good advice and you might think it's obvious but often students (of any age or situation) make a commitment to a medium before they have really explored the possibilities.
This lead me to think about the artists I know who have worked across mediums with ease. If you spend time on the web looking at artists' sites you will often see pages dedicated work done in different mediums: painting, drawing, prints etc. all done by one artist.
I find this expansive approach to making art exciting. If you are the viewer you are given an opportunity to see what the artist can do in different mediums and if you are the artist you have an opportunity to show different sides to your art view and express yourself in new and diverse ways.
During my adult life I have worked with weaving, sculpture and constructed textiles. Each body of work has it's own flavor but there is a vision that runs through all of them that is my voice.
Try something new. Buy some new materials, read about a process that is new to you, take a class or workshop. You may find the new process isn't for you or you may open the door on a wonderful new adventure.
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