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.

More About Floater Frames

Last week I wrote about floater frames for cradled boards, specifically for encaustic paintings.  I continued to look around the web for resources and have ordered another frame from Frame USA.  This frame is similar to the ones I ordered from Dick Blick are about $5 less expensive.  I ordered a frame in clear maple and 12" x 12".  This is not a standard size so they don't have them in stock but build them as ordered.  I"ll let you know how they look.

Elisa Sparks was generous sending me photographs of frames she recently learned.

Frame on left = Artwork pictured from the back on right

Example by Elisa Sparks

The frame is made from inside corner molding which you may be able find at your lumber stores.  This molding comes in many sizes and is called by several names.  Basically you are looking for wood that has been milled to have part of the mass removed to make a "shelf" on which your panel will sit. The frame is made slightly larger than the outside dimension of the art so there is a space between the art and the inside of the frame. I have not been able to local this style molding in a store as yet but will keep looking.

You may notice the small blocks placed in the corners on the back side of the art pictured above.  These blocks serve two functions.  They lift the panel off the back frame and they provide a place to insert a screw to attach the panel to the frame.  On a cradled board you don't need these as the boarder of the panel is thick enough to serve as a foundation for the screw.

When you do purchase or make frames of this type you will need to consider whether you worked on a flat panel or cradled board and the depth of the board.  You will need to decide how much float space you want around the edge of the art and in some cases how you prefer to attach the panel to the frame.  The Dick Blick frames come with holes pre-drilled but these holes are very close to the edge and could cause splintering of the edge of your panel.  I intend to purchase some off-set clips for the next ones I mount.  Here is what those look like.  You should be able to purchase them at a big-box store.

Off-set frame clips

Encaustic Print and Frame by Elisa Sparks

There are lots of video's on making frames on Youtube but I didn't find one that exactly fits what I'm trying to share with you but you might get the idea from viewing some of the ones posted.  May of the video's show frames for stretched canvas which doesn't always apply to how a cradled board is framed.

Another source that was suggested was Florida Frames.  They have a very nice selection of styles of floater frames and their style 1006 showed the shape of the corner molding I was suggesting you might want to use in making a frame.  I did not follow through with pricing the frames at this site as you have to submit an order to get the price but I'm sure the order is not "made" until after you have the pricing information.

Another source for beautiful frames is Metropolitan Frames.  Their frames are fabulous but more than I wanted to spend at this time but still worth looking into.

Thanks to Elisa Sparks for sharing these photos.

Painting With Encaustic: Tips and Insights

Pods - Terry Jarrard_Dimond

Encaustic Painting - 12" x 12" - 2016

In my last post: Encaustic Worksop at Cullowhee Mountain Arts,  I talked about my recent workshop with Lisa Pressman in a general way.  This week I want to share some tips and insights I have had since returning along with information Lisa shared that finally sunk in with me.  

Smoke Ring

 - Terry Jarrard_Dimond

Encaustic Painting - 12" x 12" - 2016

• All mediums are not the same.  I have used several brands of encaustic medium and I have also made my own.  I have spent lots of time trying to get a shine on the surface of my work and it never seemed to look good.  During the workshop we used R&F Medium and the work looked hard and shiny as soon as it dried.  It could then be buffed up every more. I am totally sold on this product.

• I have lots of the "old" medium which I can not afford to waste so I will use it as one layer of the prime for my boards but I will no longer mix it with my encaustic paint.

• Lisa uses a safety razor blade held between forefinger and thumb to scrape rather than loop tools.  The razor blade worked much better for me as well.  Much more control....however, I have arthritis in my right thumb and it becomes painful after a while.  When I returned home I found a holder for this type razor blade used for scraping windows and tried scraping with the blade in the holder.  Not a much finest as just holding the blade but a mix of the two approaches will be good.

Window scraper 

• When priming your board always warm the board first.  I had forgotten that.

• When using the heat gun always put it on low or you will move the wax around in ways you won't like.

• Air bubbles can be popped when using a propane torch by flicking the bubble with the tip of the flame.  Don't over heat.

• Encaustic paint can be mixed with lots of medium and remain beautiful.  Don't use the paint straight from the block.  

• You can fit more paint containers on your hot palette if you use rectangular paint containers.  I began with round containers but I just got some of R&F's paint pans. I can fit about 10 pans on my small hot palette.

Strings Attached - Terry Jarrard_Dimond

Encaustic Painting - 12" x 12" - 2016

• Establish two palettes.  One for opaque colors and one for transparent colors.  I have previously not been very careful about that but I like this idea and I am loving what transparent paint adds.

• Using soy wax to clean your brushes and tools may leave a residue which can cloud your paint.  Rather than cleaning your brushes all the time try having brushes that you use with only one color.  If you do use soy wax to clean your brushes be sure and wash then with soap and water afterwards.

• I replaced the wooden clothes pins which help remove my paint containers around on the hot palette with tiny metal clips I bought on Ebay.  These work a lot better.

• Don't pick your paint containers up with the clips as they aren't that tight.  To pick things up off the palette I use a pair of pliers.

When the Dust Settles - Terry Jarrard_Dimond

Encaustic Painting - 12" x 12" - 2016

• If you like to work in a square format (I do) it gives you the opportunity to combine several paintings to make one larger one.

• Don't melt an entire block of paint into one container.  Break the paint up with a hammer and melt the chips as needed extending them with medium.

• Float frames work great with cradled boards.  They can however be very expensive.  I've just ordered one frame from Dick Blick that isn't expensive.  I'll let you know how it looks when it arrives.

• For safety I plug everything into one multi plug outlet along with a night light.  When the night light is off I know everything else is off.  This includes 3 electric hot plates and a vent-a-fume.  So far I've had no issue with power outages but you will want to be careful.

• When my palettes and paint cool down I cover everything with a drop cloth to avoid dust or other debris from getting into or onto my paint and equipment.

Enjoy your studio time!

SaveSave

Where Do Ideas for Artwork Come From?

Cultural Assimilation - Terry Jarrard-Dimond

Where do ideas for artwork come from?  There are so many answers for this question I hardly know where to begin but the most direct response is that work begets work.  Work begets ideas for new work and so it goes.  I think any artist who works regularly at their art can agree with this statement.  It's not enough to sit and "think" about what you are going to do.

So how do you ever start this chain of ideas and get the ball rolling.  This is where the path opens very wide.  You can read, listen to music, take a walk, take a trip to the local museum or farmers market.  How about a workshop in the medium you love or in a medium you have always been curious about.  I think the important part of any of these activities is that you give them your full attention and be present when you are doing them. All of these things plus many many more can spark an idea that you take into your studio and begin to explore.  At that point you have to be willing to stick with the work.

Many artists keep journals and sketchbooks.  Other artists keep notes on their ideas in more informal ways.  One friend keeps notes on index cards, punches a hole in one corner and stores them on a large keyring.  I myself have made notes when viewing exhibitions on the flyers about the shows.  Makes the notes very meaningful.  Many people today keep albums of images of things they see that interest them.

Some years ago I made a series of sculpture works based on ideas that came to me while reading a book titled The Queen Must Die: And Other Affairs of Bees and Men by William Longgood.  There is a lot of mystery and history connected with the keeping of bees and these stories made great material for art.  I had never kept bees or even knew much about them but I heard an interesting review of this book which is why I read it.  I had no idea how it would influence my work at the time.

As a young person I thought all artists relied solely on imagination for inspiration.  Thank goodness that is not exactly how things work.  Everything is connected and there is inspiration all around us.  In my opinion, the most imaginative people are the ones who do the most aware looking, reading and listening.  Their senses are engaged and they are open to impressions and insights.

I also encourage students to look at the work of artists whose work they admire.  I am not suggesting that they look so as to copy or "steal" the ideas of other artists but rather to observe and take note of the qualities of work that they find appealing.  The internet makes it very easy to look at amounts of work that simply was not previously  possible.  I have a Pinterest site where I have pinned many images and I'm always amazed at both the amount of work being made and the quality of the work.  It's just another way of stimulating your creativity and pushing "that ball" down the hill.

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What Happens In the Studio

X-Ray Vision - Terry Jarrard-Dimond

When I enter the studio with the intention of beginning new work I am as nervous as a cat.  I'm anxious to get started and hoping something great will reveal itself.  I often have an idea that began to form during the making of a previous piece and that idea is swirling around in my head.  It doesn't mean I'm going to do this specifically but it is a seed of an idea that gets me going.

Most artist have some routine they must go through in order to get started.  It might be sitting and reading, drinking a cup of coffee or clearing the clutter.  This routine is helping them get centered and ready to settle into working.  My routine is often all of these things.  It is a quiet time.

Working with fabric often means rummaging through containers of fabric, sorting and resorting, then pinning things on the design wall until you begin to see something happening.  The process is one decision after another and works will often stay in the part of the process for many days until you get that special Happy Feeling that means you have answered the questions you have set forth for yourself for this piece.  The work is then stitched together and the finishing begins.

One of the most important parts of the studio experience is that you learn to ACT ON YOUR IDEAS.

That will be my next topic.

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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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How to Mount Flat Textiles

Painted Desert II - 14" x 14"

Terry Jarrard-Dimond

fabric, dye, discharge, stitching

I'm pleased to announce that my work, Painted Desert II, has been selected for Transformation, Community and Self.  This exhibition is a juried competition sponsored and hosted by the Herring Center for Continuing Education on the campus of Furman University in Greenville, SC.

Originally the work had been mounted directly to a piece of rag board, framed with a mat for display in a deep glazed frame.   It looked nice but as I reviewed the piece in preparation for delivery to the show, I decided I wanted to try something different.  With this in mind I researched the topic and found a nice article written by Ann Frisina, textile conservator for the Minnesota Historical Society that presented a simple and archival method of presenting textile pieces.  You can find the information HERE.

I'll leave the details of the process to the PDF file you can get from the above link, but basically it involves a simple "pillow" style envelope made in a quality fabric (I used off-white linen.) into which the mat board is inserted.  The textile piece is then position on the face of the board and stitched under the edge so the stitching doesn't show.  This board is then inserted in the glazed frame.  Quick, simple, beautiful and archival.

***

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How to "Finish" Your Work

                This photo shows two separate details of  Manuscript 1, which have been merge to show the surface stitching.  

Last week I posted about my work which was chosen to be included in the art collection of The Fine Arts Center in Greenville, SC.  One of my readers, Betsy, left the following comment:

Terry, I really like your "Manuscript one". It is hard for me to see whether you have chosen to forego the quilting...I am trying to wean myself from the need to cover everything I do with running stitch, and would love to hear your comments! 

Is the pieced composition not sufficently beautiful?!

Have you backed this piece? How have you treated the edges? 

First I want to thank Betsy and all those who take the time to leave comments.  Very helpful and much appreciated.

Well, as you can see from the detail shots this work has lots of surface stitching....more than I usually use and certainly more idiosyncratic.  The full image of the work doesn't show the stitching because (I think) of all the color variation and the surface texture/pattern of the black marks.  In addition to the loopy variety of line, I used several different thread colors and all were variegated.  I made these choices in response to the work.  The choice of thread and stitching  support the work and add to the work.  Most often this type of stitching would not be appropriate for what I make but here I think it worked.  Manuscript 1 has batting, a backing and a facing. A very traditional combination.

But here is the bigger issue, must we always finish work in this manner?  The answer is unequivocally no.  You are the artist and you can make your work as you choose.  I began working with fabric with the intention of making a traditional quilt.  I grew up with quilts and I learned the construction of a quilt using traditional techniques. Once I began to see that I was going to use the techniques I had learned to make art it was very hard for me to let go to be more free and spontaneous.  That began to kick in about 3 years ago although I still do most of the finishing in a traditional manner. There is however, a gorilla in the room.  The gorilla is what you want to "do" with the work you make and where do you want to show your work.  

I love the overall concept of the open fiber or textile shows.  I've only seen FiberArt International  once but there were things in that show that I couldn't tell where the fiber was.  I like that.  But if you are completely committed to the idea that you are making a "quilt" and you only enter quilt shows, then you will need to be aware of the various descriptions of what constitutes a quilt and follow the guidelines for any specific show.  You may need to have two or more layers, quilting stitches that show on the back of the work and perhaps a specific type of edge.  At the same time I've seen tea bags stitched together and exhibited in a major quilt exhibition.  It met the show criteria so there can be lots of wiggle room.  Many of the shows that focus more on "surface design" often feature work that is a single layer, no bindings or facings.  

We are not alone in needing to be aware of the guidelines for specific types of shows.  Examples are photography shows that specify how the work must be glazed, shows for painters that may  require the work be on stretchers, or the weight of a specific sculpture may be limited.  All of these considerations, and many others, have to do with the showing of the work but it does not define the work.

I hope you will follow your urge to experiment with finishing work in a new way.  You may find you don't like the results.  You may find that it is the perfect solution for your work.  You won't really know until you try. 

Please let me know if you do try a new finish and what your feelings are about the results.

***

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I'm getting excited about the opening of FiberArt International 2013!

If you are there please come by and see my work!

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Skip the Multi-Tasking

Star fish can coordinate 5 arms but can they walk and eat shrimp at the same time?

Starfish and octopi are blessed with more than two arms but they are genetically engineered to be able to coordinate those multiple limbs with grace and impact but I'm not sure about what happens when they try to walk, capture food and eat all at the same time.   The original reference to multi-tasking must be the old joke about "not being able to walk and chew gum at the same time." Today it would be hard to find anyone who at one time or another doesn't try to do several things all at once.  It seems people worldwide have embraced the concept of multi-tasking.

I suppose there are things that we can do simultaneously but I don't think you can make your best art or your best art decisions while watching TV,  talking on the phone, dealing with your children or jumping on and off your computer every 5 minutes.  

Multi-tasking is a word which came into usage relating to computers being able to do multiple operations simultaneously.  Guess what, according to what I've read they don't really function that way.  Rather they rotate the jobs very quickly and only appears that all work is happening at once. 

I recently found myself committing the last of those "sins"listed above, on the computer - off the computer.  Check mail, check FB, look at Pinterest etc.  At some point I realized that I was wasting a lot of time.  I also realized that it was a way to avoid focusing on my work and making some hard decisions.

For about 24 hours I considered moving my computer to another spot in my house, out of my studio, but the only other place was in an upstairs room where I seldom go.  This is when I had the "blinding realization" that I just needed to exercise some self control.  Is it really necessary to look up every word that I don't know the minute I think of it??? Do I really need to investigate every idea that crosses my mind the second it appears???  I know people who sit in front of the TV and research the details of stories that come on the tube for entire evenings!  Makes me tired.

OK, the web is wonderful.  I love the direct line to world information but getting back to the point of this story, when you are in your studio you need to be present.  It isn't enough to just be there physically, you have to be engaged and focused on what you are doing in order to really see all the opportunities that are in front of you and make all the big and small decisions that are required.

I decided not to move my computer but to develop a general "schedule".  I come in, check my email, read a couple of blogs, do any business that is required and then it is either cut off or I may listen to music. Later in the morning I will check my email again and so it goes.  Sometimes, I can't even take the music.  I just want blissful silence.  On those days there is no need for music.

So forget about that "badge" you're been working on for Best Multi-tasker.  Think about the things in your life that interfere with your being able to concentrate on your work.  You can't always control everything but you might be able to free up your mind-space even if slightly. 

***My friend Judy Kirpich has a nice blog: http://unmultitasking.blogspot.com/ where she shares her life and her work.  Hope you'll check it out.

***Remember the days where it was necessary to go to the library to do research.***

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The Fix Is In

New Thread Guide - Sideview

If you read my last post you know that I had indulged in some necessary quick repair on my Weekender quilting machine.  Several people wrote and suggested I could use a fishing line guide as a replacement for the repair I had made.  These guides are manufactured for fishing poles to keep the fishing line on the rod.  I followed your suggestions and you can see the above results.

The line guides came in a pack of three, each a slightly different size and there was even a stick of special glue.  The glue works really well.  You heat the glue stick, apply a dab, heat the guide and quickly put it in place.  I did manage to place the guide a little lower on the face than I wanted but it is working nicely.  At this point the machine is sewing a nice stitch without going through the top hook on the needle shaft.  If it becomes an issue, I'll redo the placement of the guide.

In dealing with this I refreshed my knowledge of what kinds of machines are being sold these days for short, mid or longarm quilting.  As I mentioned in the previous article,  these machines are much more complicated and expensive than when they first became popular.  They also have many features which should lead to easier and more successful results.

I am very interested to know about your experiences with the equipment you use for quilting.  If you are willing to answer a few questions about your specific machine I'd like to hear from you.  The information I receive will then be compiled into and an article.  All responses will be kept confidential and no names will be published.

Here are the questions:

 1.  What brand and model of machine do you have? (please tell us the arm size)

 2.  Why did you buy this specific machine?

 3.  What did your machine costs?

 4.  How long have you had the machine?

 5.  What type frame do you use for the machine if it requires a frame?

 6.  What features have been most useful?

 7.  What features have been least useful?

 8.  Is there any feature you wish you had?  This can be something that is available or not.

 9.  Have you had any serious mechanical or computer issues with your setup?

10. Would you buy the same equipment again?

11. Would you recommend your machine and frame to your friends?

If you wish to make a brief statement about your experience that isn't covered in the questions, please do so.

Please send your responses to tjd225@gmail.com by December 16th and I'll get right to work.  I look forward to hearing from you.

***

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My Little Weekender

Almost as soon as I learned about sewing machine frames and quilting machines I began researching and ultimately bought a small machine called a Weekender made by  Hinterberg.  I chose this machine because I thought it would do the required work AND it was the only one I could afford.  That was around 2007.

I have continued to use this small setup with  no problems.  This past week I was within inches of completing a new piece when I began to have a big issue with breaking thread and after checking all the things that usually cause thread to break I called the customer service at Hinterberg.  Imagine my surprise when I found out that Hinterberg has been bought out by Nolting and the Hinterberg line of quilting machines is no longer beinf manufactured.  I do believe Nolting is still making the quilting frames Hinterberg is known for.  Nolting is providing limited assistance to owners of Hinterberg's machines.  As to my thread breaking issue the technician simply suggested I continue checking the usual things for breaking thread. While doing that I found an even more disturbing issue.

If you look carefully at the above detail of this machine you can see the gradated dip in the front of the machine which guides the thread down to the hooks above the needle.  Notice this dip does not have a metal shield or plate but is covered in the same "powder coating" that is on the entire machine body.  Bad decision Mr. or Ms. Designer.  That coating is evidently very soft and on the edge where the thread goes into the thread guides on the needle shaft, there were dozens of cuts.  The edge looked like the teeth of a comb.  This is a example of someone saving a tiny portion of a penny by not covering that edge with metal and creating a problem for many people who bought this machine.  

The technician assured me these cuts would not cause my thread to break (really???) but I have a hard time believing that.  He also told me that he had heard this complaint from numerous other Hinterberg machine owners.  I decided I needed to try and put something over these teeth that would allow the thread to run smoothly down to the needle.  Prepare yourself for some authentic home repair.

The picture may be difficult to understand but if you look closely you can see a strand of thread against the red duck tape.  The thread comes down the face of the machine, under the screw eye then through and over the bottom of the screw eye.  It then makes a nice soft turn over the edge of the screw thus avoiding the damaged part of the edge and into the guides which feeds it to the needle.  My repair isn't pretty but it works.  I've decided not to use glue but leave the tape to test this over time.  

Just for fun I looked online to see what the current prices are for quilting machines and I can promise you I won't be buying one.  The machines are fabulous but the prices are out of site.  Think "the price of a modest car".  So while I'm sorry about the powder coating and small size of my machine, it's still the only one I'm likely to ever own. I will continue to figure out how to get the most out of this little machine.

I would like to mention that the larger size of this machine, the Voyager, is still being sold by Nolting.  These machines are refurbished and I believe they were a modest $2,400 which is a very modest price when compared to other equipment of that size.  Despite the issue I described in this article, I do recommend these machines as strong sewing and dependable.  As long as Nolting is providing a warranty which includes advice and service.  I'm guessing they are accepting Voyagers as trade-ins when customers buy one of their new quilting machines.

One more thought....when I first researched quilting machines there were several being manufactured by small privately owned businesses rather than large companies.  They were not as "polished" looking but they were less expensive.  I wonder if any of those folks are still around.

***

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Fading Fabric

A few years ago I made the decision to sort my fabrics by color and value and put them all out on a table in the studio. The table was near a window so I carefully covered the window (I thought) to block the sun but after a couple of months I discovered a tiny beam of light that I had missed and that little beam had caused fading on some of my fabric.

I should have pulled and over-dyed the damaged fabrics right then but I kept thinking I would be able to use the unfaded parts. Ha! Those pieces of fabric just keep popping up and disappointing me because the usable parts are never large enough.

Of course I took the fabric off the table and now have it stored in crates away from the sun. This week I began constructing a new piece using a somewhat different color palette and I have found a number of fabrics that are faded on all folds. This seems strange to me. I don't think these are victims of my display experiment. If not, what's going on?

I have not as yet taken all my fabric out of the crates to inspect everything but I do have a feeling it is only certain colors.

• So here are my questions and if you have had experience with this issue I'd love to hear from you.

• Is it normal for specific colors to fade even when not exposed to bright light?

• Are you aware of dye colors that are more fugitive than others?

• Is there any relationship to the fading and the fold other than possible exterior exposure?

I did over-dye a couple of the problem pieces and I can see from that attempt that I will need to dye the fabrics a deeper shade than they were before the fading in order to get good coverage. The good news is that some of the most beautiful fabrics I've ever made were over-dyed so I'm trying to look at this as an opportunity.

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How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?

Likely you have hear the joke where a visitor to New York City ask a man on the street, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" The sharp New Yorker responds, "Practice, practice, practice!"

I believe that is true for anything you do when you want to get better. This, of course, includes the making of art.

This morning I was reading a review on Amazon of Moonwalking With Einstein by Joshua Foer. The book is a study about improving memory and the review included a Q&A and I found the following question very interesting.

Question (Interviewer not identified): Can you explain the "OK Plateau?"

Answer (Foer): The OK Plateau is that place we all get to where we just stop getting better at something. Take typing, for example. You might type and type and type all day long, but once you reach a certain level, you just never get appreciably faster at it. That's because it's become automatic. You've moved it to the back of your mind's filing cabinet. If you want to become a faster typer, it's possible, of course. But you've got to push yourself past where you're comfortable. You have to watch yourself fail and learn from your mistakes. That's the way to get better at anything. And it's how I improved my memory.

I agree. If your studio experience has become rote, automatic, sure, perhaps you need to shake things up. As Joshua Foer said, "You've got to push yourself past where you're comfortable. You have to watch yourself fail and learn from your mistakes. That's the way to get better at anything." And that includes making.

Here is a link to a video of Foer talking about the OK Plateau.

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I've made my share of "mistakes" and I'm always open

to learning new information.

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Apply the Brakes and Enjoy the Ride

Just recently Tom and I ventured a short drive up the road and participated in a Canopy Treetop Zip-Line tour. Great fun and we both lived to tell about the adventure.

For those of you who haven't tried this, you are hooked to a steel cable and you ride suspended from a little trolley through the tree tops. It isn't hard to begin the ride as the cables start from a high point and usually descent. It's the stopping that is more of an issue. Wearing heavy gloves, you hold on to the trolley with one hand and apply appropriate pressure on the cable behind the trolley to slow down and stop. If you don't do this correctly you smash into the landing platform or the tree on which the platform is attached or if you stop too soon (as I did once) you have to turn around backward facing away from your destination and pull yourself up the cable hand over hand. I did it once but could not have done it twice in a row. I'd still be hanging out there in the breeze....

This morning I am working in my studio with a piece that is almost finished. I've been having a great experience doing the dance I like most. Put something up, adjust it, readjust, look, look more etc...it is the experience that draws me to the studio. As I danced around my workspace I started thinking about that zip-line, starting, stopping and getting stuck and smashing against a tree. It seems like such a great metaphor for how I make art and likely how many of you make art as well.

We begin the trip with gusto. Sometimes we get a little push from the guide or we just slip off into the bright fall sky sailing out into space like we know we belong. It's lovely up there and you're having a great time but then you see that things are beginning to gel and the end is coming at you very fast. At this point you have to begin to apply the right amount of pressure so that you end just right. It's subtle and sometimes things don't end well. When they don't you have to try another strategy to recover. When it does end well it's delicious and you head to the next platform for another great ride. Enjoy that last 30 feet, it can be the best part.

Tom on left and I'm on the right. Now fly away little birds and don't forget to brake.

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Thoughts On Trashing Treasure

In my last post I mentioned that the pictured art work has been destroyed and one of my readers/friends posted the following:

I'm enjoying your treasures from the vault. I gasped when you said you've destroyed it.

Terry, would you share your thoughts about doing that? How did you choose what to sacrifice? What feelings did you have about that? Any regrets? I'm on a quest to unclutter. I can hear my art instructor who said never toss out anything. But not everything is worth saving.

O.K., with pleasure.

First of all, if you work three dimensional it's an entirely different ballgame than working with artwork which can be folded, stacked or put in a flatfile. My work was hard to package, sometimes dangerous as it has sharp pointed projectiles, gathered dust and cobwebs like it was gold.

In my family we have the pleasure of both being artists so we also have twice the work to be stored. This was fine until we sold our studio where we had the majority of our work stored. We rented a storage unit for some work but because I was not showing or working at that time I simply had to sort and discard some work. It was not a matter of not being connected with the work, I was connected and I am still connected. It's just that I've always said that the most important part of my making art is the experience and not the product. I still have the experience.

I went through what I had, made sure I had photographs and we then took the items I was not going to keep to the dump. At that time it was a rather spectacular landfill with a cliff that you backed up to unload your items. We backed up to that, stood on the edge, threw things into the abyss and watched the massive crusher drive over the work. It was rather cleansing.

Some years ago I read a Fung Shui book titled Clearing Clutter. It's a small quick read. The one specific thing I recall from this title was that whenever you get rid of something it makes room in your life for something new. I've remembered that and I try to practice that. Right now I am sitting in my new studio room and the furniture is in place but there are piles of stuff everywhere. I have determined to sort these things before I begin to work again.

I don't know why we need to keep ALL of our artwork. Why not keep the best. We usually know which pieces fall into that category. I don't think it's necessary to give it away. I actually prefer to destroy it than have less than my best out in the world. The world has plenty of stuff. If you sell like hotcakes you don't have to worry about this but if you are stockpiling your art there will come a day when someone will have to make some hard decisions as to what to do with it all. Why not do them and yourself a favor and manage your inventory. You might be surprise by how refreshing it feels.

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