Tag Archives: artists

Getting Out of Dodge

Last week we spent the better part of 5 days in Asheville, NC. Knowing that the arts are a strong part of its identity, I have wanted to go there for some time. I wasn’t disappointed in any way.

Facade ornament, Biltmore Estate

Although happy for the change of scene, I also found many comforting similarities to VT — from being surrounded by mountains and plenty of green space, to the excellent farm-to-table restaurants that value local food & brew as much as we do here.

View from the loggia of the Biltmore mansion

Asheville’s River Arts District, which boasts more than 150 artists, sits beside the French Broad River, and is a vibrant area of artist-owned studio spaces spread out through renovated mills & warehouses. Among others, I was able to visit the studio of BZ Designs and speak briefly with Barbara Zaretsky, who uses natural dyes and clamped resist in her lovely work.

There are also numerous galleries in the center of town. My favorite was Blue Spiral 1 with its current exhibition entitled “Structure”, a group show of five artists who all have a connection to the Penland School of Crafts.

I was immediately taken by Rob Pulleyn’s ceramic vessels. They are substantial and sturdy, yet any first impression of “chunkiness” is belied upon closer inspection. Each piece possesses a matte surface that is marked with delicacy and intricacy, paired with earthy colors that, while adding to the sense of solidity, also provide a suitable ground for the beauty of these richly detailed exteriors. Pulleyn’s skill orchestrates a finely-tuned balancing act between structure and surface. I wasn’t the only one impressed, as indicated by the numerous little red dots on the accompanying ID tags.

Rob Pulleyn “Mime” Terra sigillata, stains, oxides 9 x 11 x 5 inches

I knew his name sounded vaguely familiar, but it wasn’t until I looked him up afterward that I had one of those slap-your-forehead moments, realizing Pulleyn had founded Fiberarts Magazine and later Lark Books, both based in Asheville.

Pulleyn writes that he had concentrated on the materials and techniques of textiles for more than thirty years, but when he began to explore clay in the 1990’s he found an immediate affinity. His artist statement is enlightening; he doesn’t take himself too seriously and his thoughts regarding self-imposed restrictions are key. There is much to be learned from the following:

“With each piece, I force myself to do something I’ve never done before: a form, a texture, or a color, for instance. This means each piece is an experiment of sorts. It also means I destroy a lot of evidence, but it keeps the anxiety level sufficiently high and the joy of success addictively sweet.”

Rob Pulleyn “01100″ Terra sigillata, stains, oxides 11 x 15 x 6 in

The most salient point for me, however, is that his decades of experience with fiber have not only informed the beauty and complexity of his vessels’ surfaces, but is still given voice through the language of clay. What a glowing testimonial to the strength of expression that results from the cross-pollination of working across mediums.

Interpreting the Surface

I first discovered the Surface Design Association through their journal in 1996. The bold cover of that issue immediately grabbed my attention — a close-up of irregularly shaped, hand-dyed fabrics overlaid with a web of machine stitching. The only words were the heading “SURFACE” and the small subtitle “Quilts”.

Flipping through the pages, the breadth of articles and the quality of images hooked me right away.

Elizabeth Fram

Having completed my first “art quilt” three years before, I was in full-on learning mode and constantly on the lookout for more information about other artists and potential processes.

Karen Kamenetzky

Since I was just beginning to find my way as an artist, it was a thrill find a publication that was the product of an organization whose stated mission was “to provide leadership in the field of surface design by:

stimulating…professional opportunities and education
improving communication…among artists, designers, educators and industry
acting as a resource to people seeking access to galleries, studios, workshops, small business and education
supporting and encouraging exhibition opportunities
providing a forum for exchange and evolution of ideas…”

Marilyn Gillis

My education in surface design began in earnest with the purchase of that journal and, almost 20 years later, I am ever-grateful for the way SDA has come through for me on all the bullet points above.

Rosalind Daniels

But above and beyond that, it is the people I have met through SDA that have been the ultimate benefit. As an international organization, its reach is far and wide, so exposure to what is happening globally is fantastic. But closer to home, both the critique groups I’ve joined since the mid-90’s have included other SDA members, so I think of SDA as a great source of connection for sharing both knowledge and friendship.

Karen Henderson

Currently I am enjoying being part of a show appropriately entitled Interpreting the Surface at the Furchgotte Sourdiffe Gallery in Shelburne, VT, along with seven other Vermont SDA members.

Catherine Hall

The variety and scope of the work speaks for itself. These images represent a selection from each artist.

Dianne Shullenberger

I hope that if you are within driving distance, you will go to check out the show in person. My photos don’t begin to do justice to the beauty and details of these works, which can only be fully appreciated “in the flesh”.

Jackie Abrams

In case you live too far away or don’t have the opportunity to see the show before it closes on May 26, here is a link to the review that recently appeared in 7 Days.

Elizabeth Fram

A “Top Ten” for All of Us

In my reading this week, I ran across what amounts to a “top ten” list of ideas for artists that I think merits sharing. I hope you will agree.

TERESITA FERNÁNDEZ: Fire, 2005 silk yarn, steel armature, epoxy 96 x 144 diameter inches 243.8 x 365.8 cm In collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia Collection San Francisco Museum of Art

Offered as the concluding advice in sculptor Teresita Fernández’s 2013 commencement address to the graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts (her alma mater), she speaks from a place of humble accord with the young artists she is addressing. Eschewing the usual platitudes often shared at such an occasion, Ms. Fernández instead acknowledges, among other lessons, the power of failed attempts and useless knowledge. She elaborates on the distinction between the inside and the outside of success in a way we can all appreciate and understand, underlining that being an artist stretches beyond what is accomplished in the studio; all facets of one’s life will be reflected in the resulting art.

TERESITA FERNÁNDEZ: Night Writing (Hero and Leander), 2011 colored and shaped paper pulp with ink jet assembled with mirror 49.21 x 66.14 inches (work), 125 x 168 cm 55.25 x 72.25 x 2.75 inches (framed), 140.3 x 183.5 x 7 cm Edition of 1 In collaboration with Singapore Tyler Print Institute

For me, the most appealing aspect of this list is that it’s not just for those who are starting their career; it is fully applicable regardless of how long you have been at it, your age, your level of success, or your geographical location. I truly appreciate how “down to earth” these maxims are, reflecting the humble and inclusive nature of Ms. Fernández’s approach, in spite of her vast accomplishments and the prestigious awards she has received. What a breath of fresh air!

If you’re interested in reading the full address “On amnesia, broken pottery and the inside of a form” click here. It’s well-worth your time.

But for now, here is her list of 10 practical nuggets that have assisted her, and will hopefully benefit the rest of us as well. I have my favorites that will be tacked to the wall of my studio, I wonder which of these will resonate with you.

TERESITA FERNÁNDEZ: Ink Sky 2 (detail), 2011 anodized aluminum black mirror, hooks, rhodium plated chains, galena rocks 34 x 96 x 132 inches 86.4 x 243.8 x 335.3 cm Edition of 2

1. Art requires time, there’s a reason it’s called a studio practice. Contrary to popular belief moving to Bushwick, Brooklyn this summer does not make you an artist. If in order to do this you have to share a space with five roommates and wait on tables, you will probably not make much art. What worked for me was spending five years building a body of work in a city where it was cheapest for me to live, and that allowed me the precious time and space I needed after grad school.

2. Learn to write well and get into the habit of systematically applying for every grant you can find. If you don’t get it, keep applying. I lived from grant money for four years when I first graduated.

3. Nobody reads artist’s statements. Learn to tell an interesting story about your work that people can relate to on a personal level.

4. Not every project will survive. Purge regularly, destroying is intimately connected to creating. This will save you time.

5. Edit privately. As much as I believe in stumbling, I also think nobody else needs to watch you do it.

6. When people say your work is good do two things. First, don’t believe them. Second, ask them WHY? If they can convince you of why they think your work is good, accept the compliment. If they can’t convince you (and most people can’t) dismiss it as superficial and recognize that most bad consensus is made by people simply repeating that they “like” something.

7. Don’t ever feel like you have to give anything up in order to be an artist… I had babies and made art and traveled and still have a million things I’d like to do.

8. You don’t need a lot of friends or curators or patrons or a huge following, just a few that really believe in you.

9. Remind yourself to be gracious to everyone, whether they can help you or not. It will draw people to you over and over again and help build trust in professional relationships.

10. And lastly, when other things in life get tough, when you’re going through family troubles, when you’re heartbroken, when you’re frustrated with money problems, focus on your work. It has saved me through every single difficult thing I have ever had to do, like a scaffolding that goes far beyond any traditional notions of a career.

TERESITA FERNÁNDEZ: Night Writing Installation view, Lehmann Maupin Gallery, 201 Chrystie Street September 12 – October 20, 2012

Further info:

Check out this enlightening short video interview with Teresita Fernández on the MASS MoCA website.
See more of her work on the Lehmann Maupin Gallery webpage

In Sickness and in Health

Cold and flu season is still alive and kicking in Vermont, as I learned all too well this past weekend.

Having known for a while that I would be on my own this week, I had been looking forward to delving into a growing list of projects that have been sitting on the sidelines for months. Being laid low by the flu wasn’t part of the equation, but as they say: “The best laid plans…”

Lola Snoozing ©Elizabeth Fram

However, I can’t complain. Once I felt well enough to get my head up off the pillow, I could get back to work — of a fashion. One of my goals was to devote a solid portion of time to drawing, & it has still been possible to follow through, albeit at a slower pace and within a more limited scope. But the bottom line is the work was there, ready and waiting, once I could sit up.

I often think about how art is with us for life. It sticks by our side through thick or thin, no matter the circumstances. You just have to find a way to allow it to come through.

Food for thought: Frida Kahlo began painting while bedridden after a horrendous accident when she was 18. By using an easel that was modified to allow her to paint from a reclining position, she was able to persevere for the rest of her life, even while recovering from countless surgeries and being confined within a body cast. Henri Matisse, coped with chronic illness the last 14 years of his life, yet at the same time began a brilliant new chapter in his career with his “Cut-Outs”. And Chuck Close has stated that the learning disabilities of dyslexia and prosopanosia (the inability to remember faces) drove him to paint portraits. Becoming suddenly paralyzed in 1988 pushed his work to new heights in his quest to adapt to his limited movement. These are just three examples of artists whose work never faltered despite debilitating illness or disability, and whose genius perhaps became all the more apparent because of it. The drive to keep working was greater than the obstacles presented to them.

That said, a little stomach bug barely merits mentioning, but my point is — regardless of your stature, the work is there for all of us — waiting to adapt in whatever way needed. You just have to give it the go-ahead.

– With gratitude to Lola, patient model, who endured several days in a row without a walk.

February’s Self-Restraint

Last week I began the first stages of a couple of smaller pieces, looking forward to the learning curve that seems to come more rapidly when working in series and the pieces aren’t (hopefully) as time consuming to complete.

Winter Palette

I have been thinking about ice and snow – big surprise! – and the gentle depth of tones to be found in each. I love the pared down beauty at this time of year and watching for the subtle changes of color that take place in the landscape.

The winds were fierce on our hill earlier this week, leaving behind sculpted piles of snow that remind me of Isamu Noguchi’s work. The rounded forms seem proudly self-possessed, nestled comfortably within their environment. They have carved edges that are clearly defined but smooth enough to convey very subtle value changes. The effect is lovely.

So — how do I transcribe this idea surrounding winter’s visual restraint without being literal? These studies will not be landscapes, but I hope that they will tell part of that greater story. My thoughts revolve around the dissection of the landscape into basic elements; a process of subtraction that distills an image into its essence, with the idea of evoking memory and mood rather than portraying an actual place.

I recently came across this quote by painter Gerhard Richter which seems to cut to the core of the way I think about existing within my surroundings and the search for a way to express the emotional connection that results.

“Our connectedness to nature and our wish to commemorate life and our place in the universe compels us to describe our physical surroundings and, in doing so, ourselves. Landscape’s compositional and spiritual cues also contain the vital seeds of abstraction and beyond.”

Here’s to the hope that these seeds can be planted and will take root despite our frigid temps.

…

And to continue with the idea of subtlety and understatement: let me share with you the beautiful photographs of Scott Peterman – a master of the restrained palette. Don’t miss this slideshow of his photographs of ice houses!

What Do You Think?

Have you read “The Death of the Artist — and the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur”, William Deresiewicz’s article from the January/February 2015 issue of the Atlantic magazine? Judging from the number of references to it that have appeared lately, it has obviously struck a nerve and I highly recommend you check it out.

Jason Horejs of Red Dot Blog wrote an interesting response that I feel strikes a worthy note — and I would encourage you to read his rebuttal after you’ve had a chance to first read Deresiewicz’s article. My thoughts below hinge on both and I would love to hear what you think as well.

While I think Deresiewicz has opened an interesting discussion that poses worthwhile food for thought, I won’t be losing any sleep over his conclusions. For me, his theory and accompanying reasoning that art and artists are disappearing, falls into the same category as the exhaustingly overwrought discussion of “Art vs Craft”. I would suggest we not waste precious time debating semantics and rather devote our energy to amassing either our 10,000 hours…or the 10,000 contacts he references, whichever you feel will best serve your vision of the path you have chosen.

The bottom line is that art is subjective. Period. It’s a source of unending debate; one that has no definitive answer one way or another despite whatever schooling, patronage, or professionalism an individual may accrue.

Regardless of how the marketplace and society has affected the way we regard “artists” through the centuries, there will never be a definitive formula for outlining who exactly is worthy of the appellation. There have always been and will continue to be those who make great work who are ignored and rejected during their lifetime, while there will be others who are greatly celebrated but with whom many cannot find any connection. That, for good or bad, seems to be an inherent part of the deal we enter into when we decide to share our work beyond the walls of our studios.

The most salient point is the one Mr. Horejs makes toward the end of his rebuttal: “Mr. Deresiewicz fails to realize that the desire to create is as old as mankind, and that as long as humanity exists there will be those among us who strive to create works of art that have the ability to leave the rest of us in absolute wonder.” To take it a step farther, I would strike the phrase “…that have the ability to leave the rest of us in absolute wonder”, as the thought is self-sufficient without that qualifier. Many of us make/create because we wouldn’t know how not to, because we see and absorb the world around us in a way that insists a response. We strive to create wonder in our viewers, but will continue to work despite falling short of that goal. That said, the cream will rise to the top regardless of how it is bottled.

In his recent lecture at the University of Vermont, (grab yourself a cup of tea and enjoy it via this link) author Salman Rushdie asserted that there isn’t a better description of what Art attempts than: “to open up the Universe a little more”. He went on to say that “what art tries to do is to increase by some degree the sum total of what it is that we know, what it is that we understand, what it is that we see, and therefore in the end, what it is possible for us to be”. Isn’t that what we are seeking when we read, go to the theater, museum or a gallery…or (gasp) even buy something handmade on Etsy? I think the key point Rushdie makes revolves around the sharing of art and the communing that occurs between creator and observer as the art, in whatever form, is experienced.

We make because we have to. But the icing on the cake is connection, of feeling that you have cracked open the universe, even ever so slightly, so as to share what you have seen with someone else.

Long live the artist.