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| Stop Making Sense collage/painted papers on wc paper image size 15" x 18" approx |
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| Alternate view |
The title of this piece comes from two things. The first is a movie from the 80's that featured the band, The Talking Heads. For the record, I have never seen this movie nor was I ever a big Talking Heads fan. The second thing is the quirkiness of the English language. It is filled with phrases, idioms, strange rules, and irregularities. Is it any wonder that people from other countries sometimes have a difficult time learning it? I picked the title sort of at random because it described the things that I was thinking about while I was working. I was considering those times when things in the world cease to be understandable in an expected way. Right becomes wrong, up becomes down, etc. What happens when a portion of someone's known world comes to a grinding halt because they can't make sense of things? What happens then? And I am showing both the right side up and upside down view of the piece. You can decide.
I have been going through a creative block lately. It's too tedious to get in to but I did make some observations while working this piece. Here they are:
* It's difficult (for me) to structure something in a way that doesn't seem like a landscape. Logic and order, which I find in traditional landscape work, make sense to me. But, I also recognize things that seem quirky or slightly off kilter. Both ends of the spectrum are appealing. It's especially great when something follows a kind of order and logic but is still kind of off somehow. I like that.
* Words and images are the two things that help me to think. I make associations with both of them and this seems to be coming out in these collages. Colors conjure up emotions and certain objects and symbols carry some basic meanings for me. Those symbols can be fluid too and don't necessarily have to have a fixed interpretation.
* These collages are turning out to be a visual response to some things that I think about or have learned. It's different than writing about something. Being forced to come up with images to represent thoughts or feelings is the ultimate form of editing!
* Organization of objects on the picture plane is difficult. I find this necessary to think about though when putting these collages together. To overlap or not overlap is a conscious choice.
* In a review of my past work, (and in an effort to break the creative block), I realized that it's hard for me to set out to make a piece about something specific. It's also a problem to have nothing in mind at all when I start. The best starting point seems to be some sort of a prompt: a shape, a vague idea, maybe a word or a color. From there, once I get going, I can build a story. The developing story line helps me to add shapes and to finish the piece.
OK, hope everyone is doing well and being productive in their own special way:) Thanks for reading and commenting.
Libby
What a great idea to show it in two viewpoints. I definitely saw it completely differently and that surprised me. I turn my work upside down to spot any lopsided vases or glaring design problems, but in an abstract like this the imagination can take over. I really enjoyed the experience and was drawn to the two black dots near the center which appear similar in both of them.
ReplyDeleteSorry your block is continuing. I always worry i will not get through it, but I do
and usually I enter a new period of growth.
Julie,
DeleteThank you for your great observations. They really help!
Those two black dots are interesting. I wonder if they are something like a "pivot" point or "focal" point even? I like that the piece can be read in different ways depending on how you turn it. I found one way to be more chaotic and jumbled than the other which was kind of good for the idea that I wanted. It all ends up being interesting to me.
I worry about this block too. I think and examine the problem a lot which helps. People have been kind enough to offer different ways of looking at things. I suspect mostly that I am struggling to bring forth this way of working-my ideas and my process; making that happen. I started another piece right after this piece. Part of the solution will be to keep going in a determined and mindful fashion. I hope:)
Thank you for your advice. I appreciate it!
Libby
what an amazing difference by just flipping the work! I find your newest path to be such fun, the ideas and your execution of them feels spot on from here. I don't see a block but a progression of style and form. Good work Libby!
ReplyDeleteKaren,
DeleteI thought the difference was interesting too. I flip the piece throughout the process but it seemed to be more obvious when I did it on the computer. Good stuff.
Thanks for the vote of confidence. Funny you mention the word "progression." I did a little analysis of these pieces to see how I started each one. When I saw them in chronological order and noted how I began them, it was easy enough to see an actual progression. We get kind of balled up in our own nonsense don't we?
Hey, hope you are doing well! Thank you as always for your visit and your observations. I appreciate it:)
Libby
I see relationships between the shapes in both perspectives and maybe because those two dots are central my eye scanned around them for more clues. In the alternate view especially they gave me the feeling of eyes, and because of what was beneath where a mouth might be, I reacted with a feeling that there was an expression of being non-plussed. Once I saw that I looked again at the first view and it was neutral.
ReplyDeleteAs an abstract artist I often turn my work around in the first stages of laying in color, just to get clues as to what might spark a next step. I applaud your continued explorations and as always am delighted with how well you convey what your thought process is throughout. Brava!
Carol,
DeleteIt's funny about those eyes. I saw them too and at first I removed them. I kept putting them back! I like the version where the smile is upside down. It matches what I was trying to convey or at least what I was thinking.
Upside down and all around! Turning the work constantly throughout the process really helps.
Thanks as always for your visit and observations:)
Libby
Dear Libby You may be going through a creative block but you would never guess by your art. Loving the color scheme with the orange and blue too. As for things not making sense I certainly understand that too. Well hope you have a creative day. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteDebbie,
DeleteThanks so much! I am glad that the block doesn't show even though it is present. I am now thinking of it more kindly as a "growth spurt."
I like the orange and blue too. Something very appealing about that combo.
Thank you as always for your visit. I hope things are going well for you!
Libby