A Bit Smaller

Here are a couple of smaller pieces in progress for my upcoming show.

Do we know our own work?

At NCECA I attended a panel about the value of criticism. Several interesting things were said, but the one I want to focus on now is the idea that the art critic knows more about your work than you do. It was said that many artists think that critics feel that way.

The Critic on the panel responded that in some ways this can be true. The artist may have been moved or influenced by artistic movements, or social aspects that they weren't fully aware of, and that the trained critic may see connections to things that the artist didn't realize were included in the work. He also offered the disclaimer that the critic doesn't know art better than anyone else, but he does know his own understanding of art better than others know theirs.


As an artist I was unsure how to take this. I made the art. Could someone else understand it better than I? But then I thought about the growing pains I have gone through, and continue to go through, in understanding my work. Asking myself why I made something the way I did, and not being able to answer except to say - I liked it. Moving from making intuitively to making conscientiously is a step that many artists seem to struggle with, so is the notion that someone else may understand the intuition of the artist better than the artist so crazy? Thoughts?

NCECA and facing myself.

I am really glad I went on this trip to NCECA. In addition to enjoying a little sun for a change, I got to see a lot of great ceramics, and hear a couple of lectures.

There is one thing that jumped out at me this trip. I suck at finishing work. Like, REALLY, REALLY, SUCK! Looking at all the great pieces on display, I was struck by all the different and great finishes people had on their work. At first this really got me down a bit, what was I doing in grad school? How could my work ever compete? Now however, I feel energized to do something about it. Sadly, the rest of this semester will be largely devoted to finishing work for my show, so there wont be time for a lot of testing. Over the summer however, I vow to find and execute better ways to finish my pieces.

Getting Back to What I Know

So I have been exploring some new ideas this semester, and I am getting nervous about whether any of it will turn out. While I am excited about the possibilities of some new directions, and am certainly not done with them, I need good finished work to put in my upcoming show or to enter into shows, etc.

So I am taking a step back and making some work that I know I can get to turn out. I also feel I can knock out work quicker so that I will have enough finished work for the show.

What do you guys think, is this good or bad?

Octo-Anne!

My wonderful studio-mate Anne has been working so hard that she is actually becoming her work! I wonder if it is easier or harder to work in clay with an octopus tentacle? Seriously though, keep up the good work Anne! I hope it will all pay off for you soon.

...and it's still a work in progress.

Here is the pieces piece out of the kiln. Didn't quite work out, but I learned some things. I will have some good work from this vein of thinking before the semester is out.

Squirrel Attack!

This ones for you Linda!