Looking for the Alien

What a mixture has happened since last writing.   Most of it is general ups and downs of an artistic life, so not very exciting, but better in one hit.

I was due to attend another Mixed Media course.... but it was cancelled because of low turn out.

But whoops I took my refunded class fee and spent it on art goodies.

Good news I won a set of stencils by 'liking' on Facebook. I need to have a play with those, bit of monoprinting I think.

I've gotten behind with the Wanderlust course.  Its not that I've been too busy, quite the contrary, but rather I've been fighting the lessons.  Couple of them are not me, and so I was going to do something 'inspired by'.  No pressure, of course I could... but even that was proving unsettling.

So eventually I decided, what are you learning by avoiding, or doing an alternative?  Why not also learn from actually embracing the thing you find tough?  So soon back on track doing the lessons as asked, or nearly so.

bit of a spooky muzak.....

Saw some images on Facebook, of people who 'can't draw' turning out exquisite images.  Found myself yearning for the same.

The truth is I spent two years in drawing lessons, I can do enough for something to be recognisable

what I still can't do is the recognisable quick sketch. (remember it took 2 years of weekly lesson to get to this!) 

My mind sees things like a detailed photograph, pencil in hand, its like a fly with inky boots walked over the paper.

Drawing also gives me a raging headache, I concentrate so hard, its not a pleasure.  So once again thinking, but I'm an 'abstract artist' is it any wonder realistic work is a struggle.  I am the person who did the 'drawing a day' project which was popular years ago, which soon evaporated into paint splodges and textures.

This is my comfort zone.

Still on catch up, imagine my horror to watch my next Wanderlust lesson and find it involves drawing people.  Yikes.  Last time I constructed anything other than stick people was 20 years ago.  So the lesson reminded me of the 'formula' for drawing faces, a bit more reading and I had a go.

Shocked, I did this, and it doesn't look like an alien.  Now don't ask me to make a face which looks like a known person, but I've stunned myself.  No wonder its being kept and stuck in my sketchbook.  Got to keep the evidence I did it, at least once!

Back to my comfort zone I've signed up for an art project based across the pond, couple of definites as to the what and including, but otherwise free to do as I wish.

I'm going to go back to this kind of thing, but with a layered look.  Our EG Branch is making Travelling Books.  I'm not doing the 'travelling' bit, but am using the book to do my own thing.  Sorted my design inspiration, now to play.

I call these 'pretties' because they have no thinking, no design to them, just play and do.
However, I should make myself feel they have more value by describing them as "intuitive art".
There's a thought to mull over.....

Post Art Trail Thoughts....

Well Art Trail is over for another year.  I think quieter than other years, but its undergone adjustment with change of people taking charge.

No sales or enquiries for me.  Not really surprised, and true I would love to sell loads, but I think there is a huge issue with people not understanding textile art.  Recently I've been adding further info labels, like ready to hang, or suitable for framing, even adding sizes, but it doesn't seem to help.  But may be its as a friend says, sometimes the art needs to be shown four or five times before it finds a home.

However selling is not the entire reason for doing.  As I always say its the challenge of the deadline, the display etc and being part of a community.  Its another element, my Venue (opticians) are really nice, when I walked in to collect I was introduced to the receptionist "this is our art trail lady" and when I left it was "we'll see you next year" - which is really lovely of them.  I certainly intend to fill out my application again.

I wish other businesses would partake, several have the attitude of "I'm not giving up my selling space to someone else".  Its 10 days, lots of free publicity, may be someone won't buy from a shop during Trail time, but that doesn't mean they won't come back in a week or a month, find shops they've never seen before, visit Rochford for the first time, to return..  I don't see promotions, ie buy something now, and get x% off further purchase within a month.   I sometimes wonder if places are full of idle rich playing shops, as so unwilling to promote themselves.  Obviously don't need more sales/marketing. I can only see it as win for artist, win for business, win for community..... and don't get me started on the office type businesses, with windows full of posters, sellotape remains and the occasional dead fly... we artists have an eye for making displays, for self promotion, (ie a free window dresser) and that business won't get me through the door.  And yes, I have exhibited where I've had to sweep away dead flies... but we'll forgive an historic house!

Whilst stewarding I had some lovely chats with fellow artists, learned about their practice and how their art is perceived, who their audiences are.  Was introduced to someone who immediately said, we did an art class together.  We did, back in 1996.  In fact we started off at college and then went on to have private lessons, so I think we spent two possibly three years together.  I still find drawing difficult, I can manage enough for me to know what I mean, but actually doing gives me a raging headache.  I think its because I'm more naturally an abstract art person, I'd love a flower to look like a flower but I'm happier making my lollipop flowers!  I've long given up the fight of trying.  I did the drawing a day once upon a time.  It was all the rage everyone did it, supposedly every day for a year, or more.  I lasted six weeks, but the drawing less than that, my efforts became playing with paints, colour, texture.

Yes, I did these, passable, but stonking headache making, 

concentrate so hard, it is literally a pain to do

Far happier with this kind of play

So one of the things in my future arty plans, is to allow myself to have some fun messy play time, get the paints back out and play.  I'm hoping it feeds into my actual work, but I need some arty fun without an end purpose before I've even opened the paint pot.

WATCH THIS SPACE

Come back in a few days when

Exciting News to be Revealed!

BEVERLEY'S BULLETIN : 2 (Not) Drawing

Drawing – sigh… I thought I’d have this topic in my Bulletin, because as artists darhlinks, we get this draw, record, thrust at us, and some of us, ie me, have brains that don’t work that way. But how can you make art and not draw? Well I do, so there!!!

I hate so much that if you’re like me and struggle, it’s a given you must continue to struggle, must not utter the words out loud “drawing is not for me” – Can’t you just hear the fellow artists suck in breath at the idea, and a loud tsk and tut, the artist police will come and lock you up.
Well may be that’s not true, but I’ve certainly felt at odds with everyone else and alone. That’s the reason for this Bulletin. I want to stand up for those who don’t do the beautiful sketchbooks, who don’t dash off a sketch whilst at the bus stop, who feel less worthy, less of an artist because they don’t find drawing easy, but feel forced into continuing to do it, believing otherwise you are not a proper artist. STOP when it comes to the crunch the information you need is exactly that, INFORMATION FOR YOU. It took me years and years to learn that. I may want to do the beautiful sketchbooks, but its never going to happen, wanting and being aren’t always the same thing. Importantly it took a long while to understand that it is not to my detriment, its just DIFFERENT.

During a gap between City & Guilds courses, I did a year’s art course, drawing, painting, followed on by being part of a private group having weekly lessons, I think that went on for a further couple of years. It means I’ve put in a LOT groundwork, hours, and tried lots of different media. I’ve done the still life, the people, the architecture, the 1 minute sketch the 30 minute sketch, the non dominant hand, not looking at the page, continuous line and so on, all the options tutors give. I have the knowledge of all aspects of drawing….

So I CAN draw, I think you can recognise what these are. Even so after all that input it’s just not natural or easy to me. I just don’t like it. There, said it

I actually get a raging headache, because I have to concentrate so much, think about each aspect, even after all the above, none of it comes naturally. I don’t finding it a relaxing pleasurable thing to do at all. It certainly doesn’t flow instantly from the fingertips. Who wants a nice sketch and a migraine to go with it? Why would I willingly do that to myself?

I’ve even tried the “drawing a day” – at one point it was the ‘in thing’ (may be having a resurgence at the moment) people boasting on the web of drawing every day for months even years on end. Another point of envy. I follow this blog which I enjoy immensely Missouri Bend Studio

However my foray into doing this started off with good intentions, which evaporated, the drawings turned into abstract playing, my every day, found gaps, until it withered to a complete stop.

I saw it as a complete failure. The reality is I should have paid attention to myself, to what I was doing, analyse what I had, ie colour, texture, experimentation, good things. Is this you too? Note your strengths be proud of them, go with them, and don’t get bogged down in the negative of what you think you should be doing, to the detriment of what you ARE doing, and other skills you may find along the way.

I do a lot of this kind of thing, laying one type of paint over another and see what happens, these are acrylics over watercolours.
Words flow easily for me, (likely you can tell), I also touch type, so I can record at the speed of thought. Whilst drawing is headache making, writing is very much free flowing and natural. I found absolute joy in this book….  It has a section on writing about your work… what utter bliss for someone like me. Not only does it describe ideas for what to do, but more importantly for me, this small section gave me legitimacy. It was OK to write about your art. Phew, relief, someone else has agreed with me. So if writing is a natural thing for you, then do it, you may be like me, in the written word can ‘see’ exactly what is described.

There are multiple ways to collate the information you want in order to make the art you want. So if something doesn’t work for you, try something else, don’t stick to something because you think you should, because its what ‘proper’ or ‘real’ artists do.

I have more to say on Sketchbooks themselves, that was another big art revelation for me, so that will come along another time. I also use my camera a lot, so I’ll talk about that too in another Bulletin.
Remember find the freedom in being you. Don’t close the mind to any options, but realise that to be a creative hands on artist, its OK NOT to draw!

Just looked outside, sky is still up there, we are safe for another day!!

Fresh Look - New Ideas

Hello all - have you noticed, we've had a change.  I was looking for something else in the Design area, didn't find, but here we are with a fresh look.  Of course it has to remain purple... my fave colour... and its all about branding darhlinks!!!  Its not just thrown together you know, I've learned bits about branding via names and colours, so my website is also purple/white.
I'm having spooky muzak moments....  remember my posting a couple of weeks back referencing being a Materials driven artist and Jae Maries book - well, duh, lightbulb, the whole reason why this blog is called Fibre-Reaction is because my art is my Reaction to my Fibres (materials) - see I knew that even before Jae wrote her book!!! ggg tut, she only had to ask.....
Sat. at our Embroiderers' Guild, we had a lovely talk by Penny Lynne - illustrating a true event with a series of work.  Another shiver down the spine, work made for a story - and my ERTF piece has a story made for the work... not such a daft idea after all.
This coming Friday I'm out with the ERTF Essex Members, we are doing Location Response artwork.  Whoah, sounds exciting.  Not done this before in the sense that this can be anything, ie drawing or stitching in response to what we see, hear smell.  Another spooky moment, quite like the idea of 'recording' sounds via art.  Remember the November Conference, and a talk by Debbie Lyddon on her work based on music, this (excuse pun) sounded very exciting.  I've done lots of drawing, well mark making to music in art classes but I've never done it otherwise.. why?  I've written here before, I also learned to type to music - I know hysterical laughter at the very idea - but we did.  So I think I must at least give it a go on Friday, listening and recording.  What the point of going if not to challenge and learn something new.
Years back with an art class we were doing location drawing, all of us sitting on a wall, drawing without looking at the paper - so we sat there staring into the middle distance, scribbling, gave much amusement to the coach party which turned up right in front of us and gave us a good look!!!
Oh yes, just heard the 2011 Sketchbook Project has finished its tour... think mine was looked at once, or may be twice - so funny - but at least it was opened!  Would love to do it again, but too much to do for this year, so will see if it runs next year.
And now I must get on... need to make work for the ERTF shop, and other things.