Inspiration & Relevance

This post revolves around two things:

inspiration, and relevance.

Last night I dreampt about Madonna. I dream about her occasionally. It's odd when you consider that I don't like her songs much, but I find her strength and drive fascinating. When I woke up, I had some of those half-formed ideas that sometimes turn into art pieces. I ran out to the studio to turn the heat on, and do some thumbnails for a new series. Are these connected? I don't know, but I may want to figure that out... I'm working on revising my artist's statement, using Alsyon Stanfield's new book about promotion: "I'd Rather Be in the Studio". In it, she uses a series of questions designed to help artists get clear about the inspiration behind the work. How am I going to incorporate dreams of Madonna into an artist statement? Should be interesting.

And relevance: This photo of my shoes seems irrelevant, but the fact is, I love the way the light comes through that sliding glass door, and shines through the screen that's leaning there. Noticing things like this, I photograph them. That's relevant to the creative process, just as relevant as the ideas that flew out of my head and into the sketchbook this morning; ideas for pieces that spring from my love of this place I live, and from the losses of last summer's Angora fire.

Artist Insomnia

Maybe you've experienced it: awake at 2:30 am, scribbling quick sketches or notes on the bedside pad...

Last night, my muse kicked in before I fell asleep at all, and quickly (and neatly, or so I thought) wrote a few lines before I forgot. Or worse, before I thought and thought and thought about the idea.

Later, I woke up again (or maybe I never really fell asleep) and thoughtfully turned the paper over, to write a bit more on the same subject. Brilliant! I then went to sleep.

This morning, I looked at the pad by my bed. Apparently, I'd had the super idea to turn the paper over BOTH times I'd written on it. It now says (and barely legibly, I might add):

"Absurdity? (arrow pointing down to illegible mess of words)
more 3D
new clockatforms 08
prop
home"
play w/MS
horns?dy art
house
nubby thing
long
(there's a scribbled design in here somewhere too)
pendulum less fits layers
sf
within piece face?

I actually know what it all means. But alternatively, I could publish it as a poem.
(I'd show you a photo of the actual mess, but the boys are still gone with the camera!)

Bougles

When I first moved to Tahoe, in 1987, I drove around in a borrowed gold Ford Pinto, with the words "eat me" written in shaving cream and congealed above the driver's side door (for reasons unrelated to me, and which I won't bother explaining). The point, however, is that I have not been able to sleep these last few nights, and these are the kind of thoughts which pass through my brain at 4:00 am.

The other thing that has been going through my brain are loads of inspired ideas that hopefully I won't be too tired to act on. I keep a pad by my bed, and scribble thoughts in the dark:

"necklaces (this is somehow underlined, which is hard to do accurately in the dark) cut pc of HC and hang off cool stick hang on wall"

and under that it says:

"bougles? purple beady thing"

??

I'm sure it has it's merits, but I have absolutely no idea what I meant by that. Anyone?

Well-Spoken by Robert Genn

This is a direct quote from Robert Genn's newsletter.

"Imagine developing skills so profound and distinct that no one else comes near. It may be difficult, but it just might be worth it. Here are a few possibilities:

Identify weak areas and self-workshop them.
Repeat unique methodologies until they are mastered.
Explore personal nuances and make them yours.
Push on when you're pushing your limits.
Trust in ideas and follow your intuition.
Find out where your new strengths are.
Learn to be your own challenger and advocate.
Know that quality is always in style.
Don't worry if things turn out to be commercial.
Laugh on the way to the bank."

Robert publishes a twice-weekly newsletter and has a great website with lots of resources for artists. The focus is on painters, but it's really more than that. Plus, he seems like a super-nice guy. Thanks, Robert!

Phew.

Big sigh of relief from over here...

Yesterday I finally got around to trying out my booth display. It involved setting up all the work, and pricing it before putting it back in the boxes, and I was dreading it. Make that DREADING it.

The REALLY COOL thing was that, once I had all the work out on the table, I had a huge grin on my face. I like the way it all looks together: bright, colorful, alive. I felt inspired to take some photos...I felt inspired by my own work; that was kind of a first.

The pricing was another story. I had a rough idea for how I wanted to price most of it, but it just feels weird to actually PUT the prices on. So...firm; decided. But they're on there...Phew.