Privacy In the Studio

Evidence - Terry Jarrard-Dimond

hand dyed cotton, dye painted, pieced and appliquéd with layers

What goes on in the mind when we are using our creative talents?  It's a complex question which I can only begin to answer in regards to the process I go through.  One thing I can confirm is that I work best when I have quiet, space and privacy.  

These components of a perfect situation can be hard to find but I began to learn how to close off the outside world when I was in graduate school.  In undergraduate school I usually dealt with the need to work in the classroom by disappearing into some other classroom which was vacant and then returning to my class and interacting with the professor as needed.  I admit this did result in my missing instructions sometimes or comments made to other students but I hated trying to work in a space where I was elbow to elbow with people who mostly wanted to talk about their boyfriends or what they did over the weekend.

In graduate school we had a slightly better situation as each student had a studio but these were primarily rooms which had been sectioned off with panels.  These dividers did not go to the ceiling and so you could hear all the chatter, laughing and sometimes critiques coming from all around your space.  It was in this environment I began to utilize my skills of disappearing into my head where it was quiet.  I also learned how not to see the parade of people who came to visit other students.  They all passed right by my space.  I had to learn not to make eye contact thus avoiding a conversation I didn't want to have.

This ability to concentrate has served me well over the years as my work spaces have always been in my home.  The demands of daily life can be just as loud and more demanding than anything I ever met in school.  Shopping, cooking, laundry, telephone, tv, visitors, housecleaning, family life etc.  can, as you know, take you right out of your zone and getting back to that special place in your head can be hard.  This skill has also been a good one when I have been a participant in workshops.  I suspect there are people who think me unsocial if a workshop class is all they know of me but when I'm in that situation as a student I want to focus and get as much out of the class as possible.

Most days I am home either with my husband or by myself.  I still find that I have to work not to be bullied into too many "must do this or that's", it's a lifelong struggle.  Learning to focus and honor your studio time is one of the most valuable skills you can develop.

Learning to Say No

We are at that time of year again where we consider what we did during the previous year and what we want to accomplish during the coming year.  Perhaps some people shy away from making the big New Years Resolutions.....I want to lose a million pounds, fly around the world and make friends with .....fill in the blank with the most outrageous person you can think of......etc.   But like most traditions, you can use this opportunity to make plans that will move you ahead in many parts of your life including, of course, your art career.

I'm always thinking of ways to meet more people, make more and better artwork and get that work shown in places and situations that matter.  I'd also like to sell more work which is a challenge in my part of the world with the type of work I make but there is one thing I can do for sure.  I can say no to opportunities that don't help me meet the goals I set.

When you first begin to show your art, unless you live in an art aware urban setting, many times the opportunities you have are along the lines of a show at the library, the coffee shop or some similar setting.  There isn't anything wrong with these places as long as the work is secure and you are comfortable with how the work is seen.  It is a great way to introduce yourself to your community and maybe meet some other artists and sometimes sell something but after years of exhibiting your work in galleries and museums these opportunities may not be the ones that are most important to you.  It takes just as much time to make work, prepare the work to hang, and deliver the work to the library as it does to a museum.  Also, most often you will be ask to install the work at the library.

So the point of this is to learn to challenge yourself and think about what moves you and your work ahead and say no when an opportunity isn't going to support your goals.

Happy New Year to all.

Act On Your Ideas

Stonewall - Terry Jarrard-Dimond

hand painted fabric with stitching

I ended my last article in this series with the admonition that you must Act On Your Ideas.  This is so important.  Over and over I hear creative people share this idea.  You must act and if you aren't in a position to get to your studio when you have a great idea you must note it somewhere.  Just today I heard an interview with a singer-songwriter and he related that if he gets an idea in the middle to the night he gets up and records his inspiration whether it is a complete thought or not.  

Creative inspirations can be very fickle and fleeting if not made real.  Ideas have their own time schedule.  This idea doesn't apply only to art, it applies to all creative endeavors.  Napoleon Hill was a famous inspirational/self-help writer.  One of his catch phrases which lots of other people now use is JUST TAKE ACTION.  (Does this sound familiar....Just do it!)  Two of Hill's most  famous works are Think and Grow Rich and The Laws of Attraction.  Hill gathered the material for his work by interviewing the most famous men of his time. (I am confident were he doing his interviews today there would be women included.)  From these giants of industry and letters he found certain elements and ways of doing things that were common to them.  Taking action was one of those elements.

You don't have to be fully formed to get started on your work.  If that were true no one would ever start anything. But we live in a society were everyone wants to be a superstar and often find it difficult to be a beginner.  Think of all the great people and of their amazing journeys to reach the tops of their profession.  They were beginners who took action.

Next:  Where do ideas come from?

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What Do I Need to Make Art

Work area in my new small studio.

It sounds simple.....The number one thing I need to work on my art is a place to work.  A studio.  As many of you know I lived in an old house for many years and it had many rooms that provided great studio spaces for both Tom and me.  In addition we build a shared studio to our for wet messy work.  During this same time we also had a studio in the mountains where we retreated on weekends.  In our new home we each a much smaller space and we are almost finished with our new shared space....I can't wait.

I tell you this because the studio is the place where things happen.  It is the place where you can explore and delve into your ideas.  You can make a mess with a purpose.  It's where you bring your ideas into the world.  If you have not found a way to make space for yourself to work where you don't have to clear the decks every time you serve a meal you are missing out on a great experience.

Design wall in my new small studio.

In addition to just having a space, I have to have a certain amount of order.  I'm not even close to be a "neat-freak" but I find it difficult to work if I have to move a bunch of stuff every time I want to work.  Junk can become a hurdle for me so I try to stay ahead of the curve.  Do I always achieve a clean space?  No.  But I try to stay on top of the mess.

I also need a design wall, a good chair, good light (that's something that needs work in my new space), and a sense of privacy.  I have worked in spaces that were very public but that isn't the best situation.  I like to explore and develop my work in my own way without always having an audience.

What else makes for a happy studio experience?  Music or silence on any given day.  Books and other materials to stimulate my thinking and support my ideas.  The internet as long as it isn't IN my space. It's too distracting.  And lets not forget whatever materials and equipment required to work in the way I want to work.

Making your space the best it can be will pay off in more productivity and a happier working experience.  I think I'll go clean something ;-)

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Accountability

Confronting the Moon - 2006

45"x 44.75"

I was invited to speak at the recent gathering of the members of the Art Quilt Network.  I was not able to attend the meeting due to the death of my mother but I sent the program to Eleanor McCain who presented the material for me.  Thank you Eleanor.

The topic of the talk was My Personal Studio Practice.  Preparing this talk was a very interesting experience for me as my thinking of what should be included developed over time.  I wrote and rewrote and added and subtracted material right up to the time I shipped the talk to Eleanor.  \\

The original form of the talk was more focused around the actual physical things I did but it became more and more clear to me that these activities were the result of all the other things you have done in your life.  I will be taking about some of my thoughts on studio practice during the next few weeks.

I majored in art in undergraduate school but did not really begin to develop a studio practice until I entered graduate school at Clemson University.  Graduate pushes you to get your thinking, your heart and your skills in line and learn what you need to learn.  One way to get these things together is to learn to be accountable to yourself for what you need to do, learn or perhaps put aside.

As students we are often driven by assignments and deadlines.  As adults we can also be driven by shows or other commitments to "show" our work which usually comes with deadlines.  These types of pressures can be good and help you get into your studio but I think the most important type of accountability is where you are true to yourself.  This type of accountability is looking at what you have done in relation to your personal dreams and desires.  Other people may not appreciate what you want to accomplish.  They may not think you are reaching high enough or perhaps think you are over-rearching.  It doesn't matter.  The important thing is how you are meeting your personal goals.

Of course the first step is to have some goals.  

***

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What Size Are You?

Barn Door - Terry Jarrard-Dimond

80" x 80" - Hand Dyed Fabric

The first few fabric pieces I made were traditional quilts and as such were made a size that would fit a bed.  They were made in units so it wasn't difficult to made a large piece.....you just kept adding units.  

As my work developed and I began to think of this work as more than a bed quilt, the work became smaller. The direction of the work was less clear and more experimental.  My first large art piece, Barn Door pictured above,  was indeed large at 80" x 80".  I loved working at that scale and have since made a number of very large works.  

Untitled - Terry Jarrard-Dimond

12" x 12" - Charcoal and Stitching

As I moved ahead in my work, working small became more of a challenge for me but lately I've become more interested in what can be achieved in a small format.  The three new works pictured are about 12" square.  They will be matted and framed which is how I think works of this size in fabric look best.

This week I saw a link to an artist I did not know, Thomas Nozkowski.  Actually I had seen some of his work but his name didn't stick.  Now it will.  Here's a link to a nice interview with him.

him:http://www.artspace.com/magazine/interviews_features/thomas-nozkowski-interview

Untitled - Terry Jarrard-Dimond

12" x 12" - Charcoal and Stitching

Nozkowski has many things to say of interest but one that caught my attention was the fact that some years ago he made the decision to work on a smaller scale than is the usual at the time in New York galleries.  He said he wanted to work at a scale that would fit in his friend's apartment.  I loved that.

Untitled - Terry Jarrard-Dimond

12" x 12" - Charcoal and Stitching

I'll bet many of you are like me in that you have a stack of large works that will not fit anywhere except in a gallery.  OK, I admit that I am sitting right next to that first large piece I spoke about but our new house has unusually high ceilings and lots of wall space.  I have sold a couple of large works but most people can't afford them even if they have walls big enough to hang them.

So what size are you?  What are your feelings about the size of work?  Does the size of a work make it more or less important?  How do you feel about having stacks of large pieces that can't be shown in many shows because of size limitations?  How do you feel about having to pay $$$ to ship these works if you get into a show?

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What the Arts Teach

This week a friend posted a link to an interesting article listing the top ten skills children learn from the arts.  I read the list and agreed totally.  

The skills listed are:

Creativity

Confidence

Problem Solving

Perseverance

Focus

Non-Verbal Communication

Receiving Constructive Feedback

Collaboration

Dedication

Accountability

What a great list!  All of these life skills packed into cutting and glueing paper, splashing paint and squishing clay. Don't forget how much fun this is for kids either.

The best part is that it don't have to stop with children and it doesn't stop with children.  I've witnessed the light in people's eyes during a class when "they get it".....meaning that they have solved some art problem or had a meaningful critique.  I've seen people hone in on their work and how the successful completion of a work gives the maker confidence to make another piece or put their work out for others to enjoy by entering a show or having an exhibition. 

I could give examples of how artists demonstrate all the listed skills in order to pursue their passion and live their lives.  Whether they learned these skills in art class or not these are skills that can be applied to every aspect of life.  Remember this the next time your school board suggest the cutting of art and music classes  as a way to lower costs.  Speak up for quality education and quality of life.  There are benefits far beyond standardized tests.

To read the article follow this link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/01/22/top-10-skills-children-learn-from-the-arts

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Intersecting Paths

Hard at work during Design Bootcamp 1 at the

Crow Timberframe Barn.

I'm sitting in my hotel waiting for time to head to the airport after a week of teaching at the Crow Timberframe Barn in Baltimore Ohio.  I just had breakfast with two of class participants as we all decompress of an exciting week of exploration, discussion and working to better understand the Elements and Principles of Design and how to use that basic information in the development of art.

Classes or workshops of this type are intense and jam packed with information and insights but one of the wonderful pleasures is how the experience fosters new relationships and long lasting friendships.  If you participate in workshops over a couple of years you begin to see people you have met previously.  You know their work, where they live, their sense of humor, something about their families and many other details about their lives that in other situations might take years to uncover.  Friendships are cemented with a mix of desire to move ahead in your art practice while doing that in an open studio where you are not only under the eye of an instructor and classmates but often students from other classes as well as an occasional visitor.   Tension is often released through casual conversation and door to friendship is opened.

I value the many friends I have made in classes I have taken and classes I have taught.  If you have not yet ventured to try a workshop I highly recommend it as a way to push yourself ahead in your work and learn something new.  I also think you'll make new friends and connections and that's always a good thing.

Hello to all of my friends and thank you to the people who over the past few years have invested in their art by studying with me.

...

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The All Important Signature

Today I received a new book , Art & Soul: Notes on Creating by Audrey Flack which got me to thinking that I need to reinstate a page on this blog which features my list of good books for artists.  I had this page a while back but somewhere along the way it disappeared.  While flipping through the pages one title caught my eye.  It reads, Picasso As A Star.  Flack relates the story of how Picasso once signed a napkin on which there was no art, just some doodle, and his signature was therefore more important than the art.  From this act of ego, Flack attributes Picasso with the contemporary role of artist as egomaniac.  I don't argue that but Picasso had a substantial resume of ego acts to his credit.

For those who have taught in high school I feel confident they have seen "The All Important Signature".  This is the large scale sprawling signature which covers the entire lower right hand corner of a drawing or painting.  This is the signature which the student artist has seen on commercial reproductions of some famous or not so famous artists and they have practiced their "soon to be famous" signatures numerous times.  This signature becomes much more important than whatever is underneath and is in no way a good addition to the work.  Thankfully most textile artists sign their work on the back.

I can't wait to read the other tidbits of art lore contained in this little tomb and I will be working on my Reading List page to be published later.

***

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I've been away and will be

away some this summer but

like Arnold S. said

"I'll be back!"

Challenges Are Good

This photo was taken at the Clemson Unitarian Universalist Church

where we performed in "I Played With the Band".

I have had a busy couple of weeks.  My show, Textile Constructions 2014, opened at Upstairs Artspace in Tryon, NC, I played piano with a band Friday evening and drummed with my djembe drum class at the Clemson Arts Festival on Saturday.  Lucky me.

Preparing for an exhibition is certainly a long term sometimes stressful endeavor but it's one I'm familiar with and enjoy.  I am not much of a collaborator when it comes to making my work so there is lots of alone time in the studio.  My art is not performance art.  It is made, installed and viewed.  The primary interaction I have is at an opening or reception when you have the opportunity to talk about your work and see how people respond.  I did an artist talk for this show and enjoyed that very much.  I actually wrote out some questions for myself and responded as a way to prepare for the talk.  I won't say I don't have some nerves when I do this but I've done it many times so it's not really stressful.

Playing with a band and two singers was another story.  One of my fantasies has always been about being a jazz pianist and playing alone or with a band and singer so I suppose I can mark that off my bucket list.  The event is planned each year by Elaine Fredendall who is my piano teacher.  Elaine is fantastic, she's fun, knows her stuff and loves to perform.  She invites a group of musicians who have a group and they come and play with her students.  Each student prepares one piece.  There is no practice with the band/singers, you just go up give them your tempo and play!

I was about number 16 on the playlist and as I watched the kids go up and play I began to have a minor freak out.  I think I am her first adult student who has played in this event.  Students are not asked to memorize the pieces, we have music, but of course in preparation you play the piece so much you do end up knowing the piece by heart.  As I sat there all of a sudden I couldn't think what the first few chords were.  Very un-nerving.  But my time came, I played and I did very well.  I played a nice version of Danny Boy and the male singer was fantastic as well as the female singer who backed him up.  I'm hoping that next year there will be other "kids" in my age group.

These are West African djembe drums.  The one on the left is authentic and was made in 

Ivory Coast.  The one on the right is also a djembe but was likely made in Indonesia 

as a tourist drum.  I bought the one on the right 5 years ago hoping to find 

a teacher.  I had to wait a while but it was

worth the wait. 

On Saturday I played with my drum class and that was far less nerve-wracking.  In this situation you have many people playing the same music with you.  If you miss a beat no biggie.  Most of our audience had no idea how we should sound anyway.  Again, it was fun.  I will continue with both the piano and drum.

I'm sharing all this with you because I think it is stimulating for people to have some range of activities in their lives.  I also believe it's wonderful to interact with other people in a creative activity.  The drumming and the piano playing are an event.  Yes, I put in time practicing alone but I had to be present and demonstrate what I could do in "real-time".  It was great to see the people respond.  It was a different type of challenge.  It was a different kind of reward.  It called on me to summons my courage and step out of my comfort zone.  

I'm already thinking about what music I want to learn next and what I want to play.  

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Clemson Visual Arts Celebration

Saturday evening I attended my third year of the Clemson Visual Arts Celebration.  This is a fund raising event focused on raising awareness of the Visual Arts program at Clemson University with a goal of eventually building a new facility for this program.

As an MFA Graduate of this program it is my pleasure to support this event by attending and giving art work which is auctioned off in a silent auction.  I've also purchased a number of beautiful works from other artists at this event.

This year there were two new elements added to the evening.  First there was a group of works offered for sale which showcased the talents of the current group of BFA students.  Drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints and ceramics items were all included and it was great fun to meet several of the students who gave their work and time to act as hosts for the event.  What a great experience for them to mingle with supporters and potential collectors.  It's also a great experience to have someone purchase your work because they appreciated the work on a level other than the love of a parent or other relative.  I saw many smiling faces.  The event allows artists to give full sale price of the work to the CVA or specify a portion of the sale to be contributed.

The second new element was a "Non-auction Auction".  As funding for all programs has diminished,  it has become more and more important to have multiple avenues of funding to allow for scholarships, workshops, travel and other professional experiences outside of the university.  These are experiences many students just can't provide for themselves.  

This auction began with the introduction of several students who shared with the audience how financial support for special activities had enriched their college experience.  This was followed by an auction which allowed as many people as wanted to participate and contribute at various levels of support.  The auctioneer, in true auctioneer style, announce a dollar value and if people wanted to contribute they raised their bidding cards and committed to contribute at that level.  It started off slow but as people better understood the program they joined in.  Very unique and I think successful for a first time CVA event.

How wonderful to see people in the community come together to support ART and art education.

***

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Open Media Art Exhibition Opportunity Open to All

Nyx - Goddess of the Night

Terry Jarrard-Dimond

fabric, dye, ink, tea, stitched

Merit Award 2013 - Anderson Art Center Juried Exhibition

There is an ongoing conversation in the world of "art quilts" or sometimes textile work in general about how this work is perceived by artists who work in other media or how it is seen by the general public.  The concern is that our work is seen as a lesser technique.  It has been my experience that lack of appreciation for the medium is a result of lack of familiarity with the work that is being made in the textile field today.  One mistake I think we can make is limiting ourselves to entering shows that only accept textile work whether it is centered around art quilts, weaving, felting or any technique specific qualification.  I encourage artists who work in textile mediums to mix it up with the painters, print makers, sculptors etc. and show their work in a broader context.

We are fortunate in South Carolina to have a number of museums, art centers, and our own South Carolina Arts Commission who support all mediums and one of those is currently in the process of accepting entries for their annual juried show and entry is open to All artist with no residency requirements.

The Anderson Arts Center, Anderson SC is accepting entries for it's 39th Annual Juried Show through March 29th.  The show is open to artists 18 years old or older and the work can be in any media.  You can download a prospectus to read all the details at: http://www.andersonarts.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=52

The center has two large galleries where the work is presented.  This exhibition is supported by the community with high attendance at openings.  The show has generous award money which this year totals $12,050.  Some of the money is awarded in prizes including a $1,000 Best of Show, $500 Second Place and $300 Third Place.  Other awards are a special $1,000 purchase for their permanent collection, 23 Merit Awards (a few of these are media specific) and 14 sponsored purchase awards.

Most of the work for this show is either hand delivered or dropped off at specified locations around the state.  However, I checked with the director of the art center and entries can be shipped but they must be in reusable boxes and return a shipping label must be enclosed.

I hope some of you will consider this exhibition opportunity and if not this one, look around in your community for open media shows where you can spread your wings.

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Busy Week at Studio 24-7

Charmed and Dangerous - Charm

This has been a busy week with a mixture of life events.  I did work in my studio this week completing the remounting project I have written about and then I took time to clean and try to regroup.  Mid week my mother had a spill and fractured her ankle which isn't a good thing at any age but especially if you are 96.  She's doing ok with a Boot and escaped surgery.  

Saturday was the day Tom and I picked up our new kitten, Jackson, who is pictured below.  The beautiful kitty pictured about is his half sister, Charmed and Dangerous, who is called Charm.  We had not originally planned on getting two kittens but decided it would be nice for Jackson to have some company with four legs and we are delighted to have Charm.

Action Painting - Jackson

Jackson is 13 weeks old and totally full of energy and silliness and soft as a.....kitten.  Very cute.  Charm is 14 months old and still and a bit more reserved trying to figure out who the heck we are.  She met our bird Mr. Pettyjohn this morning and I can see that this is a relation that is not going to work.  Our last cat passed away this fall.  Latte was 18 years old and had no interest in Mr. Pettyjohn.  I'll have to be on guard.

My mind is never far away from my studio regardless of all the other things that go on in our lives.  My new interest in music (piano, African drumming and even a little Ukelele), yoga, cooking and eating better add variety to the most important thing which is family and friends, even those with fur.

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May your life be as full.

Accomplishments, Plans and Fears

Working in my studio.

Happy New Year!

This is the time of year that traditionally we make our resolutions for the new fresh year.  Some people ignore this tradition while others make a Grand List but hopefully most of us fall somewhere between these points and make a list of what we want to accomplish in the coming year.

Personally I think some type of list is a positive thing.  It can serve as a daily reminder of where we want to be and what we want to be doing.  This doesn't mean we can't delete items or add new items.  I think the list should be a "living" thing which can be refined as you move along.  The list is a kind of safety rail.  Think of a child's toy racetrack.  The track is build so the independently propelled car has room to speed ahead but if the car gets off track, the rails keep it from flying off the road all together.

Just as important as the list of what you want to accomplish is a little look backwards to see how the past year played out.  Did you achieve any of your goals from last year?  Did you accomplish more than you ever dreamed?  Did you leave some items on the table?  Are there items that are perpetually on your lists and are never addressed?  Reviewing your past lists can be a real AhHa moment.  Acknowledging your accomplishments is a "must do" as who knows better than you what it took to achieve your goals and dreams.

As to the items that weren't achieved, maybe you weren't really ready to tackle those items.  There was a slogan a few years back for a wine maker that went something like, "Drink no wine until it's time", meaning maybe it's not the right time for a particular dream to materialize in your life.  Maybe you haven't done what it takes to be prepared.  It's ok.  The dream or goal doesn't have to die.  You may just need to approach it in a different way.  In today's world we all want everything immediately.  Slow down and savor the dream.  It could be that it will be even more tasty when it is achieved.

Fear is not a topic we like to talk about but I think it has it's place in this conversation.  There are fortunate people who were taught from childhood how to set goals and how to dream.  For those folks, making resolutions and setting goals surly is a different experience compare to people who are afraid to list their desire for fear of failure.  It sounds trite but there is truth in the saying, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."  Be brave.  Go for what you want.  It's the only way!  (In case you are wondering about me, anything I write for you to read, I try to apply to myself.)

My thought is that you write your list as a private letter to yourself in whatever form feels right for you. Read and re-read the list.  Act on the list in small and large ways.  Decide what you can do now and what you can work toward in increments.  Make note of your successes along the way.  Make note of where you fall short.  Savor your list.  Be brave and make 2014 a year that you will remember.

Happy New Year to each of you.  I appreciate your stopping by.

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Holiday Wishes

Out My Front Door

No, we don't have snow right now but on occasion we do have snow and it is beautiful.  In this picture taken from the front steps of my house you can see the sun beginning to rise and melt it all away.

2013 has been very busy year.  Some of the events have been exciting and welcome while some have not been so welcome.  Life is like that.  A mixed bag of events which we all have to learn to embrace and move ahead.

I'm looking forward to this week as I plan to focus on completing a large project, wrap my holiday gifts and savor the thought that next week my family will be here with me.

Thank you to everyone who has shared with me this year via Studio 24-7.  I send you all best for a wonderful holiday season no matter how you celebrate and I'll see you again in 2015 (opps! that should read 2014).  Now go bake some cookies or something!

xo, T

More About Juried Shows

I recently received an email from an artists who is part of a 4 person art support group.  The group had compiled a list of juried exhibitions they felt were important for your career.  The woman mentioned that the group had been represented in all of these shows but that she had not yet "broken the code" for being accepted into any of them.  She asked if I had any advice.

My response was hopefully honest and helpful.  I suggested that you just have to keep working, make the best work you can make, do the unexpected but do it well, only seek advice (or criticism) from people you deem make much better work than you and people who have your best interest in mind.

I think those are honest suggestions but something did occur to me that is important concerning juried shows that I haven't really thought about before.  People talk about shows being "a lottery" or worse and I do think it's true that you can never be sure or overly confident about what a particular juror will choose to recognize but if there is a show that you are repeatedly rejected from you might consider who is selecting the jurors?  If the same person selects the jurors for a particular show year after year, or if a show seems to always have a particular type of work (a type you don't do) it may be because the person inviting the jurors is expressing their tastes and their preferences through who they choose for this important job.  This could be true and very intentional or it could be true without being intentional.

In my opinion shows that are sponsored by museums and galleries are perhaps more likely to have this issue.  The director or staff may be in charge of choosing jurors while shows sponsored by membership organizations have committees which are ever changing thus allowing more opinions and ideas about jurors.  This is just another factor you might consider when making your show entries.

I want to add one other thought which is a little off topic but related to juried shows.  Just recently I read a thread online about the issue of work being damaged while on display in a juried show.  One person commented that they only show in galleries or museums and questioned why anyone would even bother to enter juried shows.  I found that very interesting.

So why do we enter juried shows?  They are expensive.  We often don't even get to see the shows.  I don't think there are huge sales in these shows.  So why?

1.  People just starting out don't have galleries and museum's often aren't interested.

2.  Fiber work (especially quilts) are often not shown in galleries and museums unless there is some extenuation aura....Gees Bend Quilters.

3.  College and University galleries might show your work if you can get someone's attention but they often prefer that you have credentials.....BFA, MFA

4.  It's a good way to introduce yourself to your peers outside of your local area.  Networking can get you invitations to places you never even knew existed!

5.  Many juried shows produce catalogs which are purchased not only at the show but online thus widening the area of those who might see your work.

6.  Prize money.  OK, this is only for a few of the entrants but it's fun when it happens.

7.  Acknowledgement.  Having your work reviewed by a panel of quality jurors can be supportive when your work is accepted and give you pause to review what you are doing if you are rejected.  (doesn't mean you need to change anything but at least you get a different opinion)

8.  It's fun also but I do think there is a limit to the number of times you can be in a show and still be thrilled by the experience.  Trying new shows is a good thing.

So thank you to the artists who wrote me and thanks to her small group for giving one another support.

Happy Thanksgiving and pass the cranberry sauce.

***

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Studio 24-7.

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Try Your Hand At Something New

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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Making Art Is Not for Wimps

Making art is not for wimps.  I've written before about the many difficult aspects of art making in relation to self-doubt, schedules, expensive, creative blocks , etc.  But there is another aspect that is just as important and just as difficult.  Our physical selves.

Have you ever found that you have stood for hours over your art without a break.  Then you decide to take that break and find that your body is "frozen" into whatever position you were in.  Standing, sitting, bending over a table, sitting at a machine, hand writing or typing your novel on the computer.  Any of these activities performed too long can really cause you problems.  I visited with a friend this week who is a writer and she shared with me the problems she is having from working hours on end.  She writes the initial copy for her books by hand and confessed that she's been know to work so long that it was necessary to bind ice packs to her hand just so she could hold her pencil and keep writing.  Ouch!

A couple of years ago I began to have lower back pain which I'm sure was directly connected to how I work and working too long with no stretching or contra movement.  I'm happy to report that I looked around and found an excellent yoga instructor who has helped me begin to strengthen my back and limber up some very stiff joints.

My suggestions are nothing that you don't already know.  Get up and do something different from what you are doing.  Take a walk, swing your arms,  do some yoga, lift some weights.  Don't forget your eyes, ears and lungs either.   Have your eyes checked, wear your sunglasses, get a check-up.  Don't be a hero, don't push through pain if you don't know why you're hurting.  Wear your eye and hear protection, use a face mask when indicated, read the ingredient list of the materials you use and follow the safety directions.

If you are young, start a practice to keep yourself in good shape or improve your condition.  If you are mature, start a practice to keep yourself in good shape or improve your condition.  You just start wherever you are.

I think I'll take a break now, stretch and have a cup of lemon tea with ginger and honey.

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Practice Makes Perfect....Or At Least Brings Improvement

Dancers practicing with instructor.

It's always interesting when something new pops into your attention and with your new awareness you see this new concept, idea, thing, everywhere or at least you see it again.

Last week I was looking at Daniella Woolf's book Encaustic With A Textile Sensibility.  In her introduction she mentions the concept that it takes 10,000 repetitions of a specific action to master that action.  In the case of this reference Daniella was speaking about learning to prime a substrate with wax  so that it was flat.  Looks easy but isn't.

WOW!  10,000 repetitions!  Really?  OK, Daniella did not make this number up and I doubt she really literally means 10,000 repetitions, but I do appreciate the idea behind what she was saying.  In order to be a master at what you are doing you must put in the time to learn your craft.  You can not expect to walk in an art studio, or any other studio, and do everything perfectly the first time you try.  It does happen that some people have more dexterity or better ideas etc. but sometimes this is the famous occurrence of beginners luck.  What I'm talking about is the absorption of a skill to the point that you use it correctly and with ease.  It becomes part of who you are and what you can do.

Repetition of a skill or better yet, conscious and informed repetition of a skill will bring improvement.  I looked around on the web and found several articles about this idea of 10,000 repetition.  Here is link to one of those articles relating to dancing: Repetition: The Mother of All Learning.  This article points to the importance of practicing correctly.  You can also teach yourself to do something incorrectly just as easily as correctly.  I shared with you some time ago that I am taking piano.  The system my teacher teaches is Simply Music.  This system teaches by playing and then later you learn to read music.  This means that you practice pieces over a long period and continue to practice and in about a year you should be able to play around 50 pieces with no music. If you practice correctly you will play correctly.  Students are encouraged to learn the music slowly so as not to learn bad habits.  The best practice is with a teacher who can give you feedback instantly as to what is correct and what you might need to change.  The picture I shared is in a dance studio and in the back ground you can just see the instructor who was dancing with the students and then watching them to give directions.

The visual arts attract people of all ages and the expectations of these different age groups is very different.  The child often comes to the art table with wide eyes and a fearless attitude.  Adults often come to the art table with self imposed pressure, anxiety and a desire to perform like a pro but without the years of practice a pro has.  One of the things I try to incorporate into my workshop classes is accepting students where ever they are in the process and helping them to stay positive and see that they just need to keep learning and practicing and change will come.  Will we all be world class art makers?  I don't think so but we can grow and improve and feel the satisfaction that comes with that growth.

I am compelled to end with this old joke:  How do you get to Carnegie Hall?  Practice, practice, practice.

***

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Practice is a good thing.

One day those hard skills will be as natural 

as blinking.

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Making A List to Live By - Henry Miller Did It

Black Spring - Henry Miller

A couple of weeks ago I made myself a serious "To Do" list.  This is nothing new for me but these lists are usually of a daily nature.  This one is the most depressingly long one I've ever made and could not be accomplished in a day or even a week.  I even color coded it for things like: Red for Urgent, Green for Leisure and Bright Blue for Completed.  

I lived "by and with" the list for at least 3 days, making daily lists which included items from the BIG list plus time to work in my studio, exercise, meditate, practice my piano, eat, dress, a little social time etc.  By the third day I was ready to kill myself.  I never even bothered to list household duties such as tending to and careing for my pets, cleaning house, doing laundry etc. and never mind activities such as Facebook, twitter, Linked-In, or Pinterest.  No wonder we're all tired.

I'm still a fan of lists but I don't think I can stay on such a tight schedule.  I have a friend who wants me to make her a list of all the jobs I've had in my life because I've had many starting from age 12 when I worked in my uncle's grocery store as a checkout girl.  I'd better put this on my BIG list or it will never be written.

So what does this have to do with art you may be asking.  I received a nice newsletter this week from Joan Schultz who I greatly admire.  I admire her obvious work ethic and her willingness to venture away from the middle path.  She included in her email a list made by the famous writer Henry Miller which he identified as his Work Schedule, 1932 - 1933.  I think creative people are especially prone to making lists so as to ensure there is time set aside to do their work.  I appreciated most of the things Miller had on his list but I was very aware of all the things he didn't include or perhaps he didn't have to include them.  

Here is Miller's list with my notations:

COMMANDMENTS  ---Oh dear, I'm in trouble already.

 1.  Work on one thing at a time until finished.  I like this one as it fits nicely with most of the materials and process I use but it wouldn't work for everyone.  My husbands current work allows him to work with several pieces at once and he usually has 4 pieces "cooking" at one time.  I'm jealous.

 2.  Start no more new books, add no more new material to "Black Spring." --- Black Spring was one of Miller's books which was divided into 10 sections according to Wikipedia.  It isn't a long book but evidently he needed to remind himself not to make it more complex and not to start writing a new book.  I believe he was saying "don't start another book until you finish this one".  I'll bet he was already thinking about the next book and he needed to reinforce rule #1 by writing rule #2.

 3.  Don't be nervous.  Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand.  --- I love this one.  It's especially meaningful if you remember Miller made this list for himself.  When people become famous it's hard to think of them as ever being nervous but in truth they likely are more nervous because there are huge expectations for them to meet or exceed what they have already done.   I'm going to put this one on my wall, not because I am or ever will be famous but I like the part about joyously and recklessly.

 4.  Work according to Program and not according to mood.  Stop at the appointed time.  ---  It sounds like he set aside specific hours to be at his writing desk.  Most of us are "better" either in the morning or evening.  I've never heard anybody say they are most creative from 1-3 pm have you?  I do hear people say they stayed up all night working on something.  Not me.  I've never been able to do that.  I work hard but usually know when to stop. 

 5.  When you can't create you can work.  ---  I certainly believe in this rule.  Waiting for the Muse can cause you to miss the bus.  Just go ahead and catch a bus, any bus and you are more likely to get to your desired destination than waiting for the perfect bus.

 6.   Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.  ---  My interpretation of this is experimentation is great but at some point you have to make a commitment and he's suggesting you do that daily.

 7.  Keep human!  See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.  ---  Trust me, Miller had no problem doing this.  He was a well know womanizer and evidently he also gave himself permission to imbibe when he liked.  I do agree that you need to be with other people and "have a life" just remember that restraint can be a very good thing.

 8.  Don't be a draught-horse!  Work with pleasure only. ---  Yep. There are days you will be better off taking a break, relaxing and having some fun.  This does not have to include "drinking" or cheating on your spouse.  Take a walk, read a book (Tropic of Cancer perhaps) go visit an art museum.

 9.  Discard the Program when you feel like it - but go back to it next day.  ---  If I'm going to do this I will have to write a new Program.  I do agree with him however.  You just have to keep working.

10.  Write first and always.  Painting, music, friends, cinema, all these come afterwards.  ---  Miller enjoyed painting watercolors and had a number of  extensive correspondences including his VERY prodigious exchange with a playboy bunny named Brenda Venus which included 1500 letters.   I'm thinking this indicates you will have time for something besides art.

OK... Just having a little fun myself.  I need to go clean up my studio.  I'm taking a short trip and I promised to clear the work tables so Tom can have a go in the back studio.

Thank you Joan. 

***

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