Value of Series
I have recently completed a piece of artwork for a show in a nearby town—Northville, Michigan. The idea of the show appealed to me: each invited artist was to spend time there, do their piece of art on-site (in single or multiple trips), and include a journal entry reflecting their experience. Northville is a lovely old town with Victorian architecture, a defined downtown and main street, historic park, and historic cemetery.
My work showed my ongoing interest in old cemeteries. I spent 2 or 3 afternoons wandering through 3 old cemeteries, taking lots of photographs and doing lots of sketching. I also spent time driving around the center of town and the nearby historic park. The piece I submitted was a trio of photographs taken from one of the cemeteries, in black and white, printed and applied to a piece of aluminum. I am pleased with the finished work.
What I did, though, over about a three week period was a whole series of works from this one project. There are two other photographs I put on metal plates; three black and white photos I selectively hand-colored; and another three that include ghostly figures drawn in around the headstones. I also did a couple of charcoal drawings from my sketches, on black and white papers.
It seemed to me that it was important to my exploration of the area, my reactions, and what I most wanted to communicate about it, that I work out many possible pieces. And I still want to finish them—they will become a small body of work based on a theme.
What surprises me is how other artists react to this kind of approach. “Why” has been one reaction, as well as an implied “what a waste of effort.” It appears they are content to just flit from one topic to another without really pushing the envelope or themselves. Of course, not everything merits doing a “series of 100 pieces”, but I think—no, I know—to take something and delve deeply into it is what leads to growth, and eventually to better art.
My work showed my ongoing interest in old cemeteries. I spent 2 or 3 afternoons wandering through 3 old cemeteries, taking lots of photographs and doing lots of sketching. I also spent time driving around the center of town and the nearby historic park. The piece I submitted was a trio of photographs taken from one of the cemeteries, in black and white, printed and applied to a piece of aluminum. I am pleased with the finished work.
What I did, though, over about a three week period was a whole series of works from this one project. There are two other photographs I put on metal plates; three black and white photos I selectively hand-colored; and another three that include ghostly figures drawn in around the headstones. I also did a couple of charcoal drawings from my sketches, on black and white papers.
It seemed to me that it was important to my exploration of the area, my reactions, and what I most wanted to communicate about it, that I work out many possible pieces. And I still want to finish them—they will become a small body of work based on a theme.
What surprises me is how other artists react to this kind of approach. “Why” has been one reaction, as well as an implied “what a waste of effort.” It appears they are content to just flit from one topic to another without really pushing the envelope or themselves. Of course, not everything merits doing a “series of 100 pieces”, but I think—no, I know—to take something and delve deeply into it is what leads to growth, and eventually to better art.
posted by Candy at 5:58 PM
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