Friday, July 30, 2010

Standing Again

I returned to the studio last Friday for the first time since my father passed.  Being there gave me back the feeling of standing on solid ground.  I did a sheer lamination that put the be-bop back in my hip-hop.  I used the same Adinkra symbol for law, order, authority, balance that went into Crowbonics:The Scroll and screened the medium through the design in soy wax


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The cloth underneath is a Jacquard that Peter brought back from Nigeria some years ago.  Not sure if it was made in Nigeria.  I'm recalling a documentary that discussed African fabrics being manufactured elsewhere.  Peter pointed out that the jacquard is much more valued than the adire cloth I asked for.  Adire is considered a "common cloth".  (Being the peasant woman that I am, that figures.) I will put some hand-writing/symbols on the jacquard.  I'm leaning toward this one being called The Songbook or The Hymnal.


I had "ummm moment" last Friday when I was in the studio.  Two of the coolest women stopped in and enjoyed looking at the work I have displayed.  One was a quilter from Columbus, Indiana and the conversation was uplifting and affirming.  I invited her to come down and dye with me when she thought she was ready to start.  I get pumped talking about my processes more than any other aspect of conversation about my art.  I'm really not set up or focused on selling from the studio, so when she asked me how much for one of the 6"x12" pieces, I shrugged my shoulders and said "make me an offer" or something in that vein.  And yeap, she thought it was just as strange reply as you're thinking it is right now.  I've been thinking about my response since and I know I need serious help to get to the business side of all this, but I've said it before, my energy is limited and what energy I have, I'm devoting to art making.  Its not that I don't value my completed pieces, I do, but its the process of making that is more relevant to my well being and it is a conscious choice. 


There is an organization here that supports artists with disabilities and I've spoken with them back in 2008 when I was looking for space still.  They've since moved and are closer to me and near Mellwood and I'm thinking I'll return before the year is out to see what marketing services are currently available. 


This week I've been pushing boulders up a moutain...in the midst of a fibro flare and yesterday was the worst I've ever experienced.  I had to use a cane to get up the steps.  It humbled me.  I had to miss a meeting I was looking forward to at the library for feminists artists.  Its so rare to be able to hold discussions about art making and what factors come to bear as I live trying to be the strongest me possible. 


Other than the lamination sheer, I spent time finishing up these postcards with beads.  I'm undecided whether to complete them as postcard art or small art only. 


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Img044  --------------------------------------------------> this one is my favorite----------------------------------->



17 comments:

  1. welcome back K. you've been missed.
    the Scroll is a wonder. commiserating with you on the pain and how it limits you. a stupid heel spur has kept me from standing in studio for any length of time, not to mention the heat. I've always loved the fat emphatic weight of Adinkra symbols but am reluctant to use them in my artwork. I'm inspired to draw up my own alphabet. The white-girl-of-uncertain-heritage symbols

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  2. the only time i find myself uptight about a person using a symbol from another culture is when that person positions themselves as the benevolent, sympathetic, patron of that culture or either more expert on the culture than someone from the culture. Two artists that handle crossing cultural boundaries extremely well in their art are Penny Sisto and Hollis Chatelain. On the Scroll I used a combo of various African alphabets and syllabaries combined with my own spontaneous symbols. But, go ahead and do your thang!

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  3. I have given up taking workshops to save money and do my own work!! However, the thing I miss so much is the camaraderie of like minded souls. I totally understand the getting pumped.
    If you are going to have visitors to your studio, you need to have prices on your work and be prepared to let go of them!!
    Happy that you are back at work!!
    XXOO

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  4. Glad to see you back at work- and I like what you've shown here. I'm hoping the healing continues and you're able to spend more time in the studio. Hugs--

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  5. So nice to have YOU back!!!
    All the postcards are FABULOUS and the piece you are working on is intriguing...look forward to seeing what happens next with it!
    {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

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  6. I have started a price list...and am thinking about putting it in brochure like format. Since I work so slow and long for a storeroom of work I do think I'm not as prepared to let pieces go as I'd like to think.

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  7. thanks Beverly...I do think I'm going this evening for a few hours.

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  8. thanks Dale...it seems I've parked my butt here this morning trying to catch up with blogs and emails and not much else...but it does feel good to be able to do so :)

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  9. I love that your "process is more relevant to your well being" than the finished product or the selling. To me it underlines the essential nature of our relationship to art. It's not just pretty pictures -- it's our reaction and conversation with the images. That you are having honest, intimate conversations with your art makes the pieces so much more real and interesting. Wow, that all sounds so heady. Really, I'm just enjoying that you are making for making's sake and hope that I can manage to do the same. :-)

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  10. I just love that crow. I am making a few small crow pieces representing the many crows that come on my street from the park down the street. I love photographing them. They love to put on a show and seem to be people friendly. Is the crow painted on?

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  11. The complexity of that first piece just draws me in and I want to keep looking at what's beneath the surface.
    I think pricing work is the hardest thing in the world -- especially if you are a process person. I'm with you, there. But yes, it's time to get professional about it and put the value on it you deserve.
    Glad you're back at work. As far as postcards or art: I put a mat on my postcards, put them in clip frames and they sold. Try it!

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  12. Why don't you give Claudia a call to possibly assist w/pricing.

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  13. My intent was to utilize the Vision program offered by SAQA...to help me with my goals.  Although I haven't been active with it, I'm not giving up the goal.

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  14. If she has the inkling and time I'd like to have her input.

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  15. Hi Carol, I screened it on using paint or screen printing ink...

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  16. Thank you.  I believe it to be my strength and your strength as well and I want to be taken seriously for it...but within that "larger" realm of "artist" I roll around in the quagmire of establishing myself as an artist known for selling her work.  I have accepted that this will be an up and down lament for me :)

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  17. I love the first postcard (with the black crow. It's seems ironic to ask this after what you've written, but, are you willing to sell that postcard? How much do you want for it?
    The commerce end of art is different from the process of making art but I think it's important. Can you use the times when you are physically unable to be working on the art to work on pricing formulaes? The first leap into it is the hardest - once you've started it will be easier and use very little energy.
    When you give a back-hand remark like "make an offer" the message you send is "my art isn't worth the bother of figuring out it's monetary value".

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