The viewing of art online, or in other words, what yer missin’

Art surrounds us; in the ads we see, the movies and TV shows we watch, even in the clothes we wear. Art is on the cover of our music CD’s. It’s the wallpaper on our cell phones, and it’s the design in our cars. With all of this art that surrounds us, it’s a shock to find out that we humans are missing the boat when it comes to the actual viewing of art!

Art online is meant to be a teaser; an appetizer for the eyes and the mind. Art is meant to be looked at closely, to be experienced in person. The internet is a great marketing tool, but in many ways, while allowing artists greater exposure than ever, it also, paradoxically, has put a distance between the artist and the viewer that didn’t used to be there.

Art is meant to be taken in, in person. To stand in front of piece is to truly experience that art work. For example, when the Portland Art Museum had the Dutch Master’s exhibit. One of my favorite pieces of art work is Rembrandt’s “The Music Lesson”. I had not seen this in person before. Usually these pieces are housed in a lovely museum in Amsterdam but they were on loan while the museum in Amsterdam was renovated.

The Music Lesson
Oil on wood

I cannot begin to describe the difference! I had, up until this exhibit, only seen this piece in photos. I was absolutely blown away! This small piece, this tiny piece of art, carried a visual impact that didn’t come across through the pictures. One had to see this in person, to experience the beautiful subtle details of the piece; the iridescence of the clothing, the richness of the painted fabrics, all of this was a shadow that could only be seen to be a shade of the original when viewing the piece in person!

The only way to see the details, to truly grasp and appreciate a piece of art, is like a piece of good writing. A synopsis just gives us a little taste of the essay, the book, the story. It whets our curiosity. That synopsis, it tempts us to read more of that writing. I’m easily tempted; I LOVE the written word!

Visual art is that way, as well. One has to go to the piece to appreciate the time, the eff0rt and the power of imagination. The internet gives us a taste, sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, but to get the full flavor, one must go to see that piece in person.

Art and plumbing, what’s the diff?

In reality, none. In the bad old days, only men were considered to be “serious” artists. Just recently I read an article that only 5% of the artists in art museums were women. This statistic comes from http://www.nmwa.org/, the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Nightscape

This is not right. At one time, the fact that women were forced by whatever society they lived in, with a few exceptions, to be brood mares, with no attention paid to the female mind. It was believed that women could not make serious art! This was part of the bad old days. Sadly, some wrong headed notions still remain!

When I was a young artist and a young mother, I found that attitude infuriating and impossible to escape. It bothered me that while I was seriously working, many of the men in my art classes were not seriously working, unless it involved partying. Yet their obviously dashed off “work” and I use that term loosely, was taken seriously whilst mine and the other women in there, had to work twice as hard to get taken seriously than Mr. Party Time.

I found that to be pervasive and impossible to get away from, and in many ways it’s still a part of the art world. I had kids when I went to art school back in the late 80’s and early 90’s; because I had kids, I was automatically put into a box labled “woman, not serious, KIDS-BAD!” I had hoped over time, that this wrong headed notion would eventually die it’s well deserved death. Nope.

Here we are, in the 21st century and still, ideas that plumbing is an indicator of art worthiness is sadly still with us. I find it in the attitudes of some curators, as well as some galleries (caveat, the curators and gallerists I’m currently working with are wonderful men with none of these silly notions). I find that women are still underrepresented in the galleries, as well as the curatorial field. Unless of course we do cutesy art, with puppies and kitties (urgh!). I’ve given up signing my art with my full name. I only use my initials. I have found, since I started doing that, that I get more inquiries on the art, from those who normally would not ask a woman artist about her work.

I have found, since I started doing that, that people automatically assume my husband did the piece. They don’t tend to ask, they do tend to assume. Particularly my nudes, but it does extend to all of my work. Once they find out, after admiring the work, then the viewer usually is willing to hear what I have to say. But the majority of those that view, also automatically assume that the man made the art work at first.

I’d like to see that changed, and the way that we go about it is to demand that museums give women their equal dues. Museums show what the public demands and if We, the Public, demand to see art from female artists, then it will happen. Women deserve their shot at history too, not just Cassat and O’Keeffe.  I’m pretty sure that I’m not going to go down in history; not that I don’t want to, I do, but I don’t see that happening. Not just my plumbing, but also my age. That is a whole nuther posting…

I wish I could get into a museum. I’d love to be able to live off of my work, but as a woman, in a Depression that we don’t call a Depression, I know that is not possible. What I would like to see, is that possibility for the female artists that are out there now, for the women that come after me, to have the chances I didn’t. For that to happen, women, we have to make it happen.

Women may get paid less, but we are the bulk of the work force. Women are now the bulk of grad schools, and of colleges overall. I think that as we women step into the professional arenas that men have left, perhaps this will change. I sure hope so. I hope that the new female workforce will influence those who run the galleries and the museums to change this situation. With our donations, with our comments and with our purchasing power, we women can make a difference. I hope for the day that a kid can be an artist with an equal chance, no matter if they pee standing up or sitting down.

An artist is an artist is an artist; no matter what the plumbing.

Milk and Honey

I finished putting the glass on the head, now I just need to let it cure, then on goes the mortar. I’m going to try using different colored mortars for different areas. For the honeycomb I’m going to use a grey mortar for the outline, then light colored for the inside. I have a really nice light mortar for the “milk” areas.

Next is to get the bottom of the piece covered in felt. I have black felt ready for that purpose.

I’m going to use Velcro to hold the battery pack into place underneath, inside the acacia wood bowl. Today I’ll be getting my scribes out and starting the embossing on the copper for the band. At least that’s the plan; if I can do that today, I’ll be a happy little artist!

I have learned that one day of art means two days of pain afterwards. As the mess in my neck gets worse, the sacrifice to make art gets to be dearer. The pain lets me know about my priorities. My art is right up there in the top two.  OK, it’s number one. I can’t imagine not being able to do my work. I really can’t.

It is such a part of me, like my fingers and toes. It wakes me up; and that also has it’s problems. There was a community meeting for our park last night. I found myself feeling the need, as the talk went on, to have to point out to the community that I have chronic pain issues that sometimes have me up all night, so please, do not call the cops to tell them that I am a druggie. The other woman who suffers like I do also spoke up. There are those that view lights on at 3:00 am as evidence of drug activity. Yeesh.

After the embossing, I’ll be attaching the copper band pieces with tiny brass screws. Besides the lettering, I’m putting bees on the band. Will post the results!!

Art and Cliques

As an artist, one of the things that bothers me the most is the clique. In my mind, there is no place in a healthy art environment for cliques. They stifle creativity, at the least; at their worst, cliques drive new artists away from art. That’s not right. There is room for all in the art world, in my mind. Also, new artists, watch out for this phrase, this particular phrase is used to deliver meanness on toast with a pat of sadism on the side, “I don’t mean to be rude….” or “I don’t mean to sound mean…”. Yes, they do mean to be rude, and yes, they do mean to be mean. What a person says is as important as how they say it. Those people are the ones a new artist should run away from. Find a group, they are out there, where the group is friendly and the people are not re-enacting the movie, “Mean Girls” in order to be popular.

Most of the folks who do that are legends in their own mind, and that’s a problem. I also think the clique gives a sense of exclusiveness that keeps others out, whether that clique is in the local art scene, and in Portland, OR there is a very strong clique culture. We also have a fairly stagnant gallery scene, which I also blame on the art dealer’s clique.

To be fresh and exciting has nothing to do with age. I’ve seen some really terrible art done by young artists; I’ve seen some new, exciting work done by those approaching the elderly years. I also have seen this art ignored by curators, solely because the artist was not part of the clique, no matter the age. That does a disservice to all artists, in my opinion.

The other part of a clique is the stagnation of the artists in that clique. If one will not hear criticism, and I don’t mean cutting stuff, just the actual critique, of a piece, then one cannot grow as an artist. Part of being an artist is the struggle with our mediums, with our concept, with our process. If it comes too easy, it probably needs refinement. In cliques, one does not get a good critique, one gets a rubber stamp, even if it is not working!

This does not allow an artist to grow, this does not allow the work to grow, this makes the artist glow on a short term basis, but does not encourage growth. If we are not trying to grow as artists, that’s great. If one wants to be on the same level forever, then yes, by all means, do stick with that clique, but if one is looking to become a great artist, instead of just a good one, then cliques are not the way to go. Cliques are the junior high school mentality, in my experience. One of the reasons I do not like them, no way, no how!

The other problem with ’em, artists from cliques flood the market, causing people’s eyes to glaze over at the sight of the prevailing clique’s art, which can carry over into the viewing of other people’s art. Not good, says I! There should be more than one style, more than one genre, that we do as artists. I have to say, if one is only doing it for the money, then I don’t see that as art, really, just as product. Nothing wrong with that, just don’t call it art in my opinion.

If one is in a clique, it’s time to leave that comfort zone. If one truly wants to grow as an artist, one’s thinking must be challenged. Art is a constant process; a dynamic process, a process that is more than the materials we use, it is also the people we surround ourselves with, it is also the places we want to show, and the people we want to impress.

Find a good group that will actually give you a critique. I belong to private online group that gives excellent critiques. They give a valid, objective flow of needed information to help my art be the best that it can be. I find them to be invaluable! Not just for the critique, but because they are also open to new art, to new ideas and all of us are constantly pushing our boundaries in our quest to become better artists. That group is what a group should be; supportive but honest in that support. Honest, with out meanness. Now THAT is a good group to belong to. They are out there. One just has to look for them.

Facebook, Yahoo, Meetup, there are many groups, just Google the media you work in, and voila!  you have a priceless source for free, to help in one’s growth.

A heartfelt note to my readers.

I do want to apologize for not responding as I should; I’m bad. I mean I’m really bad. I do better with phones and email, because if I can be distracted, it happens.

I try to not be distracted, and this is part of my push to be a better person and blogger, to take the time to respond to those people who so graciously took the time to comment to me, on my words.

I thank you and humbly apologize to you for those past deficits. I promise to try harder and to do better by you all.