BA Week 6

This week in the studio was interesting. It began last week when i had just spent several hours working on my new 4x4 foot ended in snapping and breaking. I had it all warped and then it just gave out. I guess thats just life. My professors were nice enough to fix it for me so i could continue weaving on it. This week i was having a really rough time weaving on it, actually had to re-do a lot of what i have done last week when it lost its tension. I then realized it just wasn't tight enough anymore because it had warped so much, so i went through about every warped string and re-tied them tighter. After that it was really tight and i was able to weave a good portion but now i am realizing i need to reframe it so that it is really secure. So, i didn't get as much done this week as i wish i could have but it was definitely a learning process. I have realized how much prep my medium takes. Not like picking up a pen, pencil, or paintbrush. Creating your own loom isn't the easiest thing.

El Anatsui is an artist i have been inspired by. She's a fiber artist who makes many tapestries and I find inspiration through her work in its imperfection. I have been working really hard at making mine well crafted, but maybe thats not how it has to be. 

Its interesting that the reading discusses the fact that art is never beautiful, sad nor gay, light or dark, etc. Theres something compelling about something beautiful, like you have to look at it. If that is a goal of mine to make compelling art, I could just go in circles all day because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone's opinion is always going to be different, so theres no way of gaining success in making "beautiful" work if it doesn't mean anything to you. It questions, "Is the aim of art to make money?" This is another thing that can become confusing. Its so hard not to mix my passion with reality. Like we are in college to get an education to get a job, so to make money. The art world seems different though. Being a fine arts major is more of a passion and a hobby. If we are to told to just not be afraid to to take chances in creating our work how does that really prepare us for the future? I know we can't make our best work when thinking of money, but why should this be my education then? Its just hard when I love what I'm doing, looming, and show a stranger and his response is..."So who is going to buy these looms of yours?'. I like how the author discusses how we need to stop looking at counterfeit objects people are expressing as art in salons, antique shops, places and altars. Its true, I mean those pieces are mass produced objects that have zero significance, but people want them because they are compelled by the pieces "beauty". I think this really speaks to me as an artist and my work because i don't always create pieces that one would want to hang in their home above their mantel or look at everyday, moreover pieces that carry significance to me as a person.


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