What do we want our work to say

[sharon young]

I was recently having a discussion with a friend who is currently doing a Fine Art degree, and during one of her crits she was asked, “what do you want the work to say?" Yes that old chestnut I hear you say :-) but it did make me think and after we had disected my most recent ongoing project and I thought it would be interesting to see what other felt about this.

[marion barnett]

I think above all, I want my work to say 'Here I am. Warts and all. What do you see?'. I have made distinctly story quilts now and again, which told a particular personal story, but I know that different people read it differently...and I don't want *my* meanings to interfere with that. I think what the work says is really between the work and the viewer. I just want people to see what they can see in my work, make their own stories, so that the work becomes real for them in a personal way.

[sharon young]

I think that's very interesting and is probably the way my friend apprached her embroidery before she went to college. Now she's finding that since this particular crit she is constanly asking herself "where is this coming from? , and where do I want to take it?", whch had a very adverse effect for a week or so, until she did some research on other artists to see what their approach was.

[marion barnett]

I worked for a couple of years with a mentor, a professional artist who discussed my work with me periodically. The one thing he never asked me about was what stuff 'meant', which he thought was personal. Rather, we would talk about intent, sometimes. To be honest, these days I just make the work...it knows what it wants to be. And that comes from my unconscious mind.

[sharon young]

Good point! It maybe because my freind (M) is only in her second year and her tutors feel that's the way to guide her.

[Janine]

I agree. I also find my personal meanings are evolving and while I may have a general theme, the meanings will vary from work to work. I was thinking of when I studied art we were told that the medium one choses should be relevant to the meaning.. ie why the particular medium and what does it add to your message. Thus, if one is felting with wool, the argument would be the message should be related to organic themes or some how have something to do with wool. I don't want to be so literal but the only way that would apply for me is in terms of the softness of the wool texture, otherwise it is just a medium I enjoy working with for its tactile nature. I am reflecting, in simplest terms, inner states of being and female empowerment of mind, emotion, spirit.
also see my blog...
artwitinme.blogspot.com

[sharon young]

Hi Janine, welcome to FAMM, I like your post, very interesting, and your work is refreshingly different. I was particularly interested in the idea of using a mdeia that is relevant to the subject, I have never consciously thought of that before or heard it mentioned when I was art school, I shall think about that on my next piece.
Looking forward to seeing your web site, good luck with the building of it, it's a very time consuming process, but woth it, although I get way more hits on my blog than I do on the web site.
The competition you entered looked really interesting, and your piece definitely had the 'Wow factor', haven't investigated it further yet but there seemed to be lots of Quibeck artists.

[Shirley Anne Sherris]

I agree with Marion - we shouldn't analyse or try to justify what we do. The bottom line is - Did you enjoy doing it? Do you like it? and Do others like it for whatever reason?
My grandson was looking at a piece of my work one day and stroked his finger over the texture and said 'That's a nice piece of art work grandma' - what satisfaction is that - it was appreciated because it was pleasing to look at and feel. He didn't look for any meaning of where it came from etc. It caught his eye, he liked it and said so. I was most pleased that he saw it as a piece of art. Couldn't ask for more.

[sharon young]

Isn't that wonderful when they do that, and you know the comment is completely sincere.

[Angela]

Hi, Im new here !


That aside..

Up until recently, my pieces used to always say the same thing " look at me, im traditional, perfect, colour co-ordinated" it got a bit boring & started to stifle me, quilts were becoming *just another piece of bed linen* regardless of them being commissioned or not.

So, I started to make more of an effort to send idea's from head, to pencil, to sketchbook, some of my idea's shock me ! Not being a very political person, I sure do seem to have a statement or 12 to make.

Recently I started to really work with one of my designs & have decided to turn it from a series of drawings & fabric samples, into something that I want to enter into one of the uk quilt shows. It'll raise a few eyebrows, it contains questions that people really dont like to have to face up to, but *shrugs* if they can slice a cow in half, drop it in a tank of formaldahyde & call it art, then my pieces have a right to say what they want to say & be called art too.

Angela

[sharon young]

I agree with you Angela! Welcome to the group :-) I think it does make a difference when you start working with your intuitive response to what's around you , and it is sometimes quite surprising when you allow that part of your creative process to come through as to what it produces. I find it's more time consuming and means that you have to wade through a lot more 'stuff' before the final piece reveals itself, but it's usually worth it, to me anyway, even if what I've produced isn't necesarily commercial.
Having said all that it's still a lovely surprise when you work totally off the top of your head and it works!

[Susie Monday]

I think all art is a form of communication -- it might be chatter, it might be lyrical poetry, it might be an epic treatise or a political statement -- but as an artist I like to know and think about what I am saying in my work, and have an intention. This doesn't even mean there is a hierarchy in my mind, a little bit of gossipy chatter work has value in its place, a deep meditative piece has another place.

[Fairywebmother]

I always let my work tell me where it wants to go. I start with splashing colors and textures around, until something (or someone) shows up. This has been very freeing for me, as my work becomes like finding pictures in the clouds. Sometimes, the work will show me something about my heart and sometimes it will lead me to something deeply meaningful to me or to others. I am always surprised and never disappointed because I let go of the need to control. The more I practice and experiment with technique, the easier it is to let go and trust my inner guidance. I am frequently practicing basic skills, so that when the inspiration strikes, I am ready to create! There are always bits of beaded "this" or painted "that" laying around. Once in a while they all come together to create a doll or an art journal or something. Exploration is the greatest joy, for me! Just FYI, I started off as a real control freak and I guess that was good training. Then I got a job as a designer for Michaels (long ago) where you have to work very fast to make quota. It was hard, at first, but really opened me up, creatively, in time. Working fast, without thinking too much is an awesome exercise.