Artist Statement and the agony of it
Writing an artist statement is a grueling task. Ask any artist, they will likely tell you the same. It is a process that forces you to be introspective. Being a visual artist, I use imagery to speak for me rather than words. So, while I'm a decent writer, this is a major challenge.
Putting into words why I do what I do, work with the materials I work with, and create the subject matter I create.
OH! and did I mention it has to be short?? lmao.. like that's simple for me... NOT! (if you know me well, you're laughing now)
So, this is what I have been working on.. if you've noticed that I've slowed down in producing new work... it's because I'm producing something way out of my comfort zone... which I do believe will make me a better, more focused artist.
I never knew about these things... that they were necessary steps to an actual career as an artist. So, I thought I'd share some of this... just incase somebody thinks it's interesting... lol, and because my family is sick of hearing about it... hehe
So, here's something I have that I'm happy with...far from done..and the funny thing is that this hit me while I was filling the truck with gas yesterday at Sams... thank God for my iphone notes =) it's prob good, cause I didn't think too much, it just came out like this... so it's real.
*** My work is imperfect, I love that about it. I did not at first, at first; I struggled to find a way to perfect patinas. I struggled to find a way to perfect a design on copper. Being an unachievable goal, I came to learn that what was most beautiful about my work, was that it was imperfect. And in the imperfection, was where the beauty lied.
I can paint acid to create a tree, a nearly perfect tree, but when I rinse the acids, a necessary part of the process, it will flake off, bleed, sometimes completely change... These are the things that make my work most beautiful. These things give it an unmatched quality, something serendipitous. Something that can never be duplicated... Now it is rare... And rare is luxurious
This cypress truck is a great example of what I'm talking about. Created within a commission piece for Ms Peggy Bourg... You can see how the black of the trunk is not solid. This is where the acid has flaked off in areas. I have only a small amount of control over this. Ultimately, I came to realize that this occurring actually gives the tree character... a realness. The shades of copper reviled beneath the flaking are completely to chance... embracing this part of my process is for me like embracing fate. Working with what has become, learning to love what is.... it's soulful, it's mature, it's maybe learning to love what is, is how peace is achieved. Maybe this is why when I work, I am peaceful.
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