Journal Entry is where I will post more in depth thoughts on projects in the Think Tank.
003 - Themes and Subject Matter
In my abstraction, I have, in the past, expressed that meditation and exploration of religion to be the inspiration and "why" behind the work. Though, that was true in the beginning, and sometimes still, I believe my work has taken a slight detour into other themes and subject matters. Which I find to be consistent and in tune with the nature of the work regardless.
I was asked in my BFA program to come up with a unifying theme and statement about what the art represented, and I did so but no so willingly. I knew then, that what I was building, was just a foundation to the rest. I felt it was too soon to put names and meanings on things, but in pursuit of a degree, I had to define it. I came up with something fairly vague then and have stuck to it since, that I was exploring the "subconscious mind" and using that to navigate "religious themes, deconstruction, and the collective." I thought vague enough but specific enough to satisfy my teachers. In reality, I knew that there was more to it and couldn't be explained in a short elevator speech. My work has always required deeper investigation and far more words that I could type for entire quarter at school. The art almost demands conversation and introspection. It demands to be delt with. Although I never explicitly designed it that way, I believe it to be a divine intercession. Yes the work is rooted in religious exploration and mediation, and I'm very focused on collective wellness; but as our world watches as Rome treads upon us, I believe the art has to be shifted and more defined than ever before. However, it will be a long and strenuous task.
As a Christian, I have to be even more in tune with my religion and it's true message, how it's historically impacted the world, and how it is strangling us now. Religion is still an integral part of my work but it should not be twisted, I practice art with the attitude of meditation and ask the Divine to guide my hand and my words; what is manifested is simply an act of obedience.
All to say, I have seen themes in my art recently that are touching on music, and how are senses trigger nostalgia and various other wonderful and terrifying things. This work, poses the question, who were you? And who are you now? How do you move on? Our world is facing these very questions, we have seen the naked truths in our history and are now causing all kinds of chaos trying to understand how to move forward.
I think part of our healing, has to take place in the individual, so when you hear a certain song, or see a certain object that reminds you of what life was like at age 5, are you also reminded of what that kid dreamed the world to be?
Are you reminded of the person you hoped you would become?
When you look at my painting of my mothers kitchen figurines and old oak trees, are you able to walk away so easily?
When you see an abstraction that was painted to Johnny Cash's song "Love's Been Good to Me" can you picture your father or grandfather in his rocking chair, to frail to turn the record but taps his foot along anyways?
Are you reminded of a simpler time and find yourself stuck in a world of before?
How do you grow from that and into what you know you were meant to be?
I'm not claiming to know the answers because that answer will be unique to the individual, but I do know this, any religious texts or spiritual paths begin in the Self and then the Collective. Without the repair of the individual thread, the whole fabric cannot flow with it's intended purpose.
002 - Unifying Projects and Series
I'm getting increasingly interested in how my work connects to my other hobbies and interests. Music, Poetry, and Literature all have a huge influence on me and I'm often at a loss on how to make that obvious in my portfolio and statements. I think a viewer can see the influences but how I convey it needs some polish. Currently, I'm trying to organize my projects into series where I can see it clearer. In painting and drawing, I have a series that was painted while listening to my music collection and in graphic design I'm researching music production and products. So there's the music, but it's time to make a better connection between the two. I started to make some designs (that can be found in the Design Lab) that actually used my drawings and paintings as decorative elements. I think I can incorporate it even more in future designs.
001 - Composition and Nostalgia
I have been working in abstraction for the past 2 years, it's a style that comes easily to me and I'm able to churn it out at a decent pace. It also sells really well, but I don't think any artist wants to be stuck doing one thing for the rest of their lives. Even though we're told to make what sells and what people like, focus on one thing - it's just not the artists way. Prior to my abstraction series, I was working primarily in illustration and photography. I have missed that work, and so I want to pick it back up and maybe add a few new tricks.
In order to stay within the surrealist mindset, design and composition will be key. I think composition is one of my weaker points so learning more about graphic design might be just what I need to elevate my skills to the place I want them to be. My next few projects are going to focus specifically on composition and it's relation to the subject matter.
For instance, I want to create a series of work the pertains to memory and environmental protection. In order to accomplish bringing awareness to threats on our land, I will be using memory and nostalgia, as a tool to grab the viewers attention. The paintings I've made so far, pertain mostly to my memory but I want to expand to really tap into collective memory.