Our house is covered in bubble wrap. And, no, it's not an extreme weatherproofing technique we're trying out...Joe's been busy wrapping up his pieces this weekend to send them to New York. He was invited to have a selection of his pieces shown in conjunction with a symposium this month where local museum curators will get a chance to view the work.
The Light is Right by Joe Isacson
We're thankful for this exposure, since it means that he'll be considered to commission a large-scale sculpture in a NYC museum! We've got our fingers, paintbrushes (& everything else) crossed this month!
If you're looking to see some of our artwork closer to home, remember that many of our collaborative artboxes are still at Cook Street Coffee in downtown Barrington, but they'll be down soon, so don't delay. ;)
20% of any sales of pieces that are at Cook Street Coffee as a result of this show while they're up will help benefit local pregnancy centers through TLC Pregnancy Services, which offers free medical, practical & emotional support for women in need.
Getting ready for Art in the Barn, the Courthouse Art Center's Fly show & the NAMI show at the Dole...as a result our home is a visual explosion of sorts. I'm not exaggerating; virtually every surface is filled with paint, wood, test tubes, skulls and washers...Here's a sneak peek:
I started a series of small 'studies' for Art in the Barn, which is a benefit/mega-art show Sept. 28 & 29. We'll be there with about 180 other artists, music & food. The event is held in a series of antique barn buildings - be sure to look for us in the "Machine Shed", which is right near the entrance.
These are 'before' & 'after' shots of one of the studies of a Weaverbird.
I actually hesitated to add color - I liked the simplicity of the black on wood, but now that I've gone ahead and fleshed (feathered?) it out, I'm glad I gave this little guy his full plumage.
Also be sure to look for us in October's Fly show at The Old Courthouse Arts Center in Woodstock! Opening Reception is Saturday, Oct 12 6-9. Come and see a wide range of media and artists expressing the shows theme of flight.
Joe has a fascination with washers and always has an
eye out for them all over Chicago. He enjoys finding them so much that when I
ask him how is day went, if it went well he'll say "it's a 3 washer
day!"
This is what happens to them..! Joe's piece "Pull Toy #4" will be in a group show at the Dole Mansion in November.
Go to xculturearts.com to see our artwork and find out about upcoming events ...
Many people who have seen our show at the Dole mansion were shocked to discover how Joe makes some of his solo pieces; it's a process that takes a lot of balance, time & patience.
For example, The Swing (shown here, both in progress & completed) was created out of one flat 8' piece of Hickory.
What I find particularly interesting about this, is that he cut the wood at no more than a 10 degree angles to create this wavy effect; to me, this shows how just being a little off course can lead you in a completely different direction.
Now, in general, I think that the artistic process any artist chooses is a reflection of his/her character. This is no exception. For each piece to be assembled into the whole, it is necessary for Joe to hold the wood together while it dries.
Hickory pieces ready for assembly
Me, I'm way too impatient for that. As he made this piece, I found myself counting the 40+ wood pieces that he planned to hold together and multiplying that by the time it took for each connection to dry. The answer? Way Too Long. For me, that is.
Joe revels in repetition and the art of carefully engineered attachments. What drives me crazy as I see him watching each piece dry in a pose that looks like freeze-frame jenga, seems to be meditative to him.
Joe, in 'action'
Want to see more?
You can see loads of artwork, find out more about us, sign up for our newsletter, or even purchase pieces (!) all online here: xculturearts.com
It's been said that the gallery in the Dole Mansion is haunted, but who would think my paintings would be too?
The site of our upcoming show was built in the 1860s and seen generations come & go. "Ghost" sightings abound. Both Joe and friend Angela Swan each experienced different mysterious sightings and sensations when we helped her prepare for her exhibition there last fall.
Sightings of inky apparitions and Victorian-era figures have been plentiful over the years. Many think Eliza, the widow of circus magnate Lou Ringling (who helped purchase the building in the 1920s) is still roaming the halls.
So, keep your eyes open this 1st Friday's event on 4/5/13. Who knows, we might have an extra guest checking out the artwork!
The picture on the right is a detail from the painting in progress for the show I talked about last post. To me this figure symbolizes looking into the future, just as the grown woman captures how we look back at our past. One is open eyed, confident and knowing, but the future is young before us, and sealed like a letter yet to be read. I've drawn her on a different scale than the 'past' figure, in the tradition of iconic symbolism, to express that even though we are constantly entering it, the future often seems distant, smaller than what has been.
The thing that puzzles me about this figure is that as I've started to paint it, I realize: she has haunted my paintings before.
Another painting that will be in the show started with a very similar child figure that I removed from the its final composition and then there's this baffling piece:
This is an eternal work in progress, really, because Joe was so taken with it that he sneaked the painting out of the house to frame it before I had finished! (He was afraid it would be painted over into another piece eventually.) And there are other pieces where spirit figures emerge....
So, it seems the ghost girl has followed me for years. Is it possible to have haunted paintings? I suppose in time, I'll find out. I'll be on a search to find out who/what she is and why she won't go away. In the meantime, maybe I'll just call her Eliza for now. Curious About the Dole Mansion? Want to find about our current shows?
Getting ready for our 2 person, solo show at the Historic Dole mansion...It will be great to see so many pieces of the new artbox series all hung in one space!
Joe talked me into creating a large artbox painting (24"x24" compared to the 12"x12" pieces) to go with a 7 foot tall installation piece....but I hadn't been working long before I found that he "forgot" to leave room for the painting!
...so it seems that this may not be one of our collaborative pieces after all.
The odd thing (ok, one odd thing) about these two pieces is that Joe, who usually has his artwork "completed" in his head before he even starts to bring it to life, this time has been experimenting as he goes. This is a constant source of amusement for me, since I'm usually the one struggling with creative serendipity in my work.
This time, however, he's been burning and "reburning" objects over and over again in near anguish, while I actually have a fully realized composition from the start, for once. (Not my usual intuitive approach at all! Typically, my pieces unfold before my eyes.) So far, my difficulties will rest in deciding if the figure should be 'less pretty' to fit the allegory, and capturing exact look I want...more on that later....
Hope you can come see the final results! Maybe I'll talk Joe into making a companion piece for this painting after all!
I've been busy sketching as we prepare for our Outside the Box solo show at the Dole Mansion this April...This is a piece in progress features two creatures from the north: a Flicker Woodpecker & a girl of Irish descent. (Guess I'm sensitive to being a yankee at the moment, since it's so cold!)
The woodpecker historically has been considered a symbol of 'divine work', connection to the spiritual and, in general, of awareness. (One reason the figure is meeting our stare.)
My original sketch (Yes, sometimes I sketch my sketches first - how crazy is that?) actually featured two identical birds, each on either side of her head. This is because woodpeckers have also been considered a symbol of balance.
In the end, I decided to make it a contradiction of terms by having only one bird because that sort of thing amuses me. I know. I have a quirky sense of humor... and because awareness and focus on the spiritual tends to give me a hyper sense of focus that feels anything but balanced!
Meanwhile, Joe has been busy balancing his own work - a madly, curvaceous solo piece that looks like he's doing 'fine art Jenga' as he creates it. (more on that later) Can't wait to see plans Joe has for this drawing. His assemblage will make it truly complete!
Getta Cuppa Joe!
Cook Street Coffee
Now through mid - February, the artboxes will be at Cook St. Coffee in downtown Barrington. A portion of any sales now through Feb from this show will go to Willow Creek's C.A.R.S ministry, which helps area single moms have safe, reliable transportation.
Cook Street is a great, cozy place to get fair trade "coffee ands". (In Joe's family, it's unthinkable to serve coffee alone. You have coffee 'and a danish', so we refer to this as 'coffee ands'.) Cook St. Coffee locally owned, so if you go there, you get to treat yourself while supporting independent businesses near & far.
I was hanging artwork yesterday in Crystal Lake's own Conscious Cup. When I got home, my son asked me why it's called that. I explained that it's because many people are pretty much unconscious until they have their first cup of coffee in the morning.
But seriously, it's a locally owned, fair trade coffee shop/cafe owned by the Shipleys (Michael, Jason & Jack). If you believe in supporting local businesses, local artists, fair trade & good, old-fashioned caffeine, this is the place for you.
And, if you purchase any of our artboxes during the show there and mention you saw it at Conscious Cup, you'll be helping local kids and single moms in crisis. How? Read on...
Reasons to go to Conscious Cup during the holiday season:
1. Coffee
2. Coffee!
3. 20% of artbox purchases made there will benefit the local shelter Turning Point.
One of the artboxes now on display..
And if you're like me, and would rather drink hemlock than go to a mall on Black Friday, consider a saner alternative: cozy up with a cuppa joe, hang out with a newspaper, ipad or a friend & leisurely shop the original art (yes, that would be ours) or the Ten Thousand Villages fair trade gift selection at this local haven.
If you buy any of our pieces showing there through the end of 2012, you can be assured of 2 things...(Yes, I know, I'm into lists today.)
1. If you need a gift for the person who has everything, they won't have this!
2. Your purchase will help McHenry County's women & children escape violence and enjoy a season of joy and peace.
I know I'll be hanging out with the occasional chai--hope to see you there!
No, I haven't left my husband of 16 years, but we're both having an affair...more on this below!
Our house has been a-buzz as we get ready for the upcoming Affair of the Arts fair Nov. 18...The hubby's been wood burning so much it smelled like we had an indoor campfire last night!
As much as I enjoy pyromania, I've been sticking to drawing/painting to prepare. (Here's a shot of a piece in progress...)
What, pray tell, just is this "Affair of the Arts" of which I speak?
* It's a unique shopping experience, with over 40 artists presenting jewelry, glassware, ceramics, paintings, photography, mixed media decor and more. If it's functional and beautiful, it will be there. If you've wondered how to make the everyday items (& moments) in your home inspired, then you'll want to put this on your calendar.
* It's outside in a gloriously picturesque fall setting, yet it's also inside for those of us who want to stay cozy-like.
* Artists don't really like that whole 'starving' idea, so snacks will be available. (I hear tell there will be a cash bar as well.)
* The show is Sunday, November 18, 2012 10 am – 4pm
@
The Shores of Turtle Creek: 7908 Winn Rd. Spring Grove, IL 60081
For me the hardest thing about making artwork is starting. That is closely followed by the struggles of continuing and actually finishing. Why is it that I'm so naturally inclined to post-pone what I love? And why am I not alone in this special brand of insanity? I don't have the answers, but I do know that I'm definitely not alone. So what do I do when getting myself into the studio feels harder than putting a cat into a suitcase? (That's really, really hard, by the way. I haven't tried it--I have a high respect for cats & good suitcases--but I vividly remember my mother's attempt to get our feline to the vet without a proper cat carrier. So not good.) Mostly, my technique is to trick myself. I'll work while listening to an edifying podcast (or WireTap, not edifying, but fun) or insist on working through all of a piece of music or playlist (classical for drama or rock/pop for energy). Or give myself a set time to work for. In that I find I'm also not alone. Painter Robert Genn uses a timer that looks like a tomato. We all have to do whatever we can to get through the night, right?
The Pomodoro Technique described by Robert Genn:
Just
as people learn to spell words and add numbers, folks can learn how to
gain intention. It takes a bit of character and a Pomodoro. A Pomodoro
is one of those red kitchen timers that looks like a tomato. Pomodoro is
Italian for tomato. You can buy them on Amazon for $7.99. The Pomodoro
Technique is a time-management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in
the late 1980s. The timer is set for 25 minutes and then you focus and
go to work on your predetermined job. At the end of the time period, the
alarm goes off and you take a five minute break. Then you start on your
next Pomodoro. If your Pomodoro gets interrupted by a phone call or a
request to go down and drain the lake, you'll have to stop and restart
your Pomodoro later.
To
rise and become a "Certified Pomodoro Master" you need to determine how
many 25-minute segments you're going to need to do a particular
project--say a 20" x 24" painting. You need a notepad and pen to list
and keep track of your staged Pomodoros. Give yourself a check mark at
the completion of each.
If you have any helpful advice, leave a comment & share the wisdom!
Right now, my favorite playlists I use to keep me occupied are on Spotify. If you want to suscribe yourself, they're "42" & "I Love the Smell of Wagner in the Morning." Here's a sample from each...
I'm someone who loves working with other people, even when it drives me crazy. I love the give and take of collaboration--and even a creative tug of war now and then. Apparently, word has gotten out about this, and I was interviewed on the collaborative process, and most specifically, on how in the world can I create a piece of artwork with my husband and actually stay married at the same time?
Beth Messina, of Artbox, an online art community, asked me some thought-provoking (& laughter-inducing) questions, including this one:
What's
it like to have a deeper personal relationship with your collaborator - like a
spouse? This is rife with risk as art is so personal, too.
a pause in the creative process...Photo by Angela Swan
It helps to ask permission to give
feedback and find out if the other person is ready first. Even with my solo
work, sometimes I tell Joe I’m not ready for that yet. I remember one time I
was 99% done with a large painting and he walked through the room as I put my
brush to the canvas. “Don’t blow it,” was all he said, but I couldn’t work on the
painting for a few days after that—it froze me up. Likewise, on one of his
recent 3-D pieces, I’ve waited for what might be the right time to tell him
that if he wasn’t careful, his work-in-progress was destined to look like a
spice rack.
Beth also asked me to explain more about my thoughts on the creative process, with great questions like:
How does a great creative collaboration come
together? What does it feel like? See the whole interview at: http://blog.artbox.com/
Sometimes, I feel like I live my days in different types of containers. My home is essentially a box, albeit a fancy one. When I 'go out' usually I place myself inside another compartment, my car, which I take to bring myself to another elaborate box such as a store. If I'm not careful, it's easy to spend my entire life enclosed in man-made spaces, with controlled temperatures and artificial lighting, all designed for my comfort. The trouble is, being comfortable is overrated.
There's something to be said for discomfort, especially if you're a writer. Without conflict or desire, our characters would be boring. I think the same can be said of us. It's easy to fall into a rhythm of daily habits, but if you want to be creative, plan on making time for something new, something different, something uncomfortable.
When you are stuck on a creative project (writing, painting, etc) try taking a break and give yourself a mini-adventure. Sing in public, go roller skating, eat food you've never tried before. Or combine the already existing elements of your life in a different way, such as mixing friends who have never met, even if they might not get along. (In fact, that only makes things more exciting.)
Another way to get out of your box is to experience it another way, such as blindfolding yourself and navigating your home that way for an hour. How does the space seem different? What senses can you bring to your writing that have been overlooked?
For me, just getting outside of my 'boxes' and being out in nature makes me see things new again. Walking through a forest challenges me to identify bird calls and enjoy the wind applauding through the leaves. When at home, I find that using natural light as much as possible keeps me in touch with the larger world as I notice the change of light and shadow as Earth pirouettes the sun. It makes me notice time differently. It reminds me that I'm a part of something bigger, more wonderful and extraordinary than anything I could imagine.
Writers, don't forget to get away from the computer and live a little! If we do the same things at the same time and have the same conversations with the same people every day, is it any wonder when we get writer's block? Get out of your box and do something uncomfortable. Your readers will thank you for it.
Yesterday, my son asked me if he could 'borrow some of my geekiness' to solve a math problem. I had to admit, I've got plenty to spare.
One--just one--reason I've been awarded a moniker worthy of taped-together glasses is this: reading manuals on grammar, style and punctuation gives me absurd joy. They make me thrill at each turn of the page and guffaw (at bad examples) as I plow through chapters with the eagerness of a drunk whose alcohol has taught her to sing. My husband, who believes most reading can (and should be) accomplished during a bathroom visit, finds this comically disturbing.
"You read that thing like a novel," he'll say, recoiling from a passage about commas. "That's disgusting!"
By now, the more astute readers out there will have noted (as evidenced in this blog) that reading books on writing does not insure perfection. So, why do I read them? I read books on how to writing as a form of immersion therapy; I hope that one day it will all sink in and I will emerge at the end of each book miraculously transformed, perfect in style and form. This is probably because, in addition to being geeky, I am also delusional.
But I live in hope. In short, I will always make mistakes. So far, I bet I've accomplished at least 1,238.5 atrocities against my mother tongue in this blog alone. Assuming you are mortal, you will make lots of mistakes too. So count on them. Start off recklessly. Speed along like the new owner of a McLaren F1 out on an remote highway for the first time. Then, go back to the beginning. Go over your work with the obedience of a driver inching through a speed trap in front of a preschool.
I mention this because there are a few myths I find among aspiring writers:
Myth # 1: Editing is a waste of time. It takes away from the essence of my unique message.
I have met many writers who just don't see the value of editing what they have written. I'm sure there's some good stuff in your first draft. But, chances are, it can be way better. Editing is like the difference between a chunk of coal and a cut diamond. For the average writer, it takes patience, pressure, and a lot of cutting to get your work to shine.
Myth # 2: There must be a short-cut around learning grammar. I've met others who don't wish to be bothered with the basics of English, yet feel compelled to write. If you are writing for anyone but yourself, do your readers a favor and at least attempt to learn the basics. It may be inconvenient, but it's nothing compared to the agony of writing without, say, commas. (I've actually given feedback for a writer who avoided commas as if they carried leprosy. As a result, reading her prose was hilarious, only for unfortunate reasons.)
Myth # 3: I edited it, now it's done. Plan on editing your work, not once, but twenty or more times. If your goal is publishing, make sure to edit multiple times, ideally on multiple days. Edit once and you might kill your chances of publication by overlooking mistakes you could have easily fixed.
Once is not enough. In fact, one person is not enough. Get other people to read and edit your work in progress. You don't have to take all the advice you get, but it's a crucial step. Editing your own work is like cutting your own hair; there will be some things you just can't see for yourself. We all have blind spots. So get someone else to help you see yours.
For those of you looking for great books on good writing, check out the list below. They are a few of the tomes I tuck under my pillow at night when I want to make my husband jealous--or horrified.
Suggested Reading for Aspiring Logophiles:
Eats, Shoots & Leaves : The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation - Lynne Truss
The Transitive Vampire: Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed - Karen Elizabeth Gordon
Bird by Bird - Anne LaMott
The First Five Pages - Noah Lukeman
The Elements of Style - Wm. Strunk & EB White
The Elements of Story - Francis Flaherty
What do you do when you have an editorial 911 and nary a grammar book is in sight?
Try Grammar Girl online. (She also has a book, should you prefer your grammar the old-fashioned way.) I think of her as the patron saint of obscure punctuation marks.
These resources have helped me and made me laugh all at the same time. Hopefully, they have made me a better writer, too, although I still have far to go...
Stay tuned for installment # 4 (coming soon to a monitor near you)
There are perils involved when you expose your children to great literature. Parents who insist upon recklessly filling their children's minds with stories and wisdom from throughout the ages should proceed with caution; it can wreak havoc on your life. The danger? Knowledge is power and children love to use it against you. Here's a perfect example: last week I decided we should watch an adaptation of Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals, which features a twelve-year-old boy's account of his adventures in Greece. Perfect, I thought. And it was. Except that Durrell's charming gift for rationalizing sloth has rubbed off on my son. Now, when I ask the boy to do anything that even smells educational, he quotes Gerald ruthlessly. "But I prefer to be half-educated," he says. "Life is so much more surprising when you're ignorant."
Despite this hazard, I have to admit that I am one of those parents who impose culture upon my son with zealous abandon. In the last ten years he has been subjected to jazz, opera and the Beatles; wayang, kubuki and early American historic recreations; Hitchcock, Buster Keaton and The Seven Samuri. He will no doubt spend years in therapy because of this. However, as long as he waits until adulthood and pays his own counseling bills, it's a chance I'm willing to take. Why? Because the world is far larger, more intricate and varied than our day-to-day life implies. Because if we're smart, we learn from our own experiences, but when we manage to learn from the success and folly of others, then we're wise. And that is what brings us to No. 2 in this blog series:
Avoid il-literary-acy
Yes, I made that word up. And I must say it was very un-literary of me to do so. Invariably, the second thing I recommend to new writers--or to any writer...OK, or to anyone who will listen--is to read. Read everything you can get your hands on. One of the best ways to learn a craft is to study, observe and expose yourself to finished examples of it. If you are an artist, look at lots of art. If you are a musician, listen to tons of music. If you are a writer, read. Read the classics, read contemporary work, read books written by people you admire and even people you despise. Read books that annoy you and figure out why you don't like them. Read what you love and come away inspired. Read great books slowly and take in every ordinary detail like a tourist in awe of the pyramids. But take notes with the eye of an archeologist and learn from what you see. I have met many, many people who pursue a craft without studying what others have done before them. In my opinion, that makes learning much harder than it needs to be. Learn from the success and folly of others. It makes all the difference in the world.
Looking for something new to read? Here are a few random picks from my bookshelf. In this list I've tried to include writing from different continents, eras, faiths, genders and genres. If you read something here, let me know what you think!
Arrow of God - Chinua Achebe
Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Barbarian Way - Erwin Rapheal McManus
The Bone People - Keri Hulme
The Dream of the Red Chamber - Cao Xueqin
The Art Lover - Carole Maso
Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert Pirsig
Searching for God Knows What - Donald Miller
Odes to Opposites - Pablo Neruda
Zami: A New Spelling of my Name - Audre Lorde
Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
Kent Haruf - Plainsong
The Famished Road - Ben Okri
The Shipping News - E. Annie Proulx
The Winged Seed - Li-Young Lee
Blindness - Jose Saramago
Haikus - Richard Wright
Narcissis & Goldmund - Herman Hesse
Still Life with Woodpecker - Tom Robbins
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
Krik? Krak! - Edwidge Danticat
Moo - Jane Smiley
Disclaimer: I in no way guarantee that you will like these books or even agree with them, but that's not the point. Writing allows us the privilege of gaining insight into the hearts, minds and souls of people we ordinarily would never meet. That is a tremendous gift to me. I hope it is a gift to you as well.Next up is # 3: Be "Ear" Now - The listening test.
If there's one song that captures the human condition in a sentence, I think it must be this: "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die." It's certainly true in my household; for example, everybody wants to eat dinner - but nobody wants to cook. Over the years, I've taken to singing variations of it spontaneously, as it seems to suit almost any occasion. The writer's version of this is "everybody wants to publish books, but nobody wants to write."
Every so often, someone will ask me about how to become a published writer, yet few people ask me how to write well. My answer is always the same; worry about your writing first. Write early and write often. Carry a notebook or a pocket audio recording device to capture those random insights you have throughout your day. Inspiration is lightning to the soul; it can illuminate a hundred thousand things in a flash, but it's impossible to recreate exactly once the moment has passed. It will come again, but is different each time it strikes. You might get close, but typically something has been lost.
To severely misquote Rene Descartes, "I write because I am." The best writing comes from people who care more about the art of their craft than they do about getting it published. That is not to say you shouldn't try to publish your work or get paid for it, please do. But beware: when you find yourself focused more on selling your work then on the writing itself, it will show. Ironically, your writing will be less marketable as result. Write because you can't stop writing. Write like you're trapped in a fire and you haven't finished your will yet. Write because the thought of lying on your deathbed before you have finished your manuscript makes you gnash your teeth with premeditated regret. When that's the thought that haunts you, you're on the right track, you're on your way.
To be continued, check back for more (solicited) writing advice in #2: Avoid il-literary-acy.
