TalkTalk Convo | An Art Encounter

It’s happening! Nothing has gone as I’ve planned and I’ve learned to say “that’s ok”… I’ve enjoyed making the artwork for it. It is so much fun to play.

Here is a little of the design work I did for it. Once I love an image I have to experiment with it in different ways…

Please come if you can. I do understand that having these encounters at the library at different times of the day is an unorthodox way to have this type of art event…which is honestly the point! It makes it that much more fun! So stop by when you can. Maybe on your lunch break. Check out the events page for places and times.

Art Changes Things...

An Art Endeavor

The Aesop Project started as an art endeavor I was working on with a group of artists I’d worked with in the past. The Republican National Convention was on its way to Jacksonville. One of the artists I’d worked with previously called me up and said she felt like we needed to do something; something to present Jacksonville artists to the world. She was hoping to use the spotlight that would be shined on Jacksonville to showcase us as artists. I agreed but added that the political nature of the timing couldn’t be escaped. I didn’t want us to squander an opportunity to speak up on several important cultural, civil rights, and human rights moments that had taken place over not just the past year but spanning the entirety of the Trump administration (and further back honestly). I felt we should speak on these issues specifically and not generalize and coalesce into a unity/kumbaya moment. Not that there is no place for it, but it is simply wasn’t the right time. It is because America has eschewed discussing the difficult things, talking around race and other important topics, I believe that we are where we are right now.

…art changes things is my point. It not only changes spaces and surfaces but it also changes perspectives, mindsets, and relationships.

To make a very long and overly dramatic story short, the rest of the group disagreed and in the most disrespectful of ways. I thought it ironic considering they wanted a show of unity. Sad. Considering at that point I’d already shared a number of my project ideas with the group.

Still Compelled

Though a little salty, I still felt compelled to continue forward to complete a project that spoke to current events. I still wanted to work collaboratively with an art crew, so I reached out to other art friends whose work and ideas I’d loved over the years but hadn’t had or created the opportunity to work together and a few folks said yes. Some felt, I’m guessing, that to create artwork in this way would be too political, polarizing, or negative. I didn’t take their desire to not participate personally, simply a manifestation of the culture we live in. People are so often ostracized for their personal opinions; right, wrong, or indifferent. I understood. None of those designations really matter though. To stand up and use your voice for what is right is never a comfortable position. This election is like no other I’ve ever seen. There is no sitting on a fence this time. There is no decision not to participate. We are in a fight for our democracy. This isn’t about politics at all.

My biggest reason for facilitating this collaborative project is because I truly believe that art changes things. I believe that when artists approach a problem or concern they see things from such a unique perspective.

This project to me and the way I have chosen to disseminate the message isn’t about speaking in an echo chamber with those I know who already agree with me, it is about reaching out to those who may be looking at things with an obscured viewpoint.

Dissemination Is The Way

The ways I’ve chosen to share what Aesop has created:

• Asking people to share the first video of a video diptych, I Can’t Believe This Is Happening with their friends, family, and network.

• Projecting I Can’t Believe This Is Happening on abandoned and dilapidated structures (intentionally symbolic of how we’ve abandoned who we say we are as Americans) also changing these spaces where we project the video with art. Which is also kind of my thing.

• Live-streaming I Can’t Believe This Is Happening on Facebook and Instagram

• Asking others to join the movement to not only vote in this election but to be more engaged civically and as humans.

There are other things I’m doing as well, but I digress, art changes things is my point. It not only changes spaces and surfaces but it also changes perspectives, mindsets, and relationships.

See for Yourself

Take a look at “I Can’t Believe This Is Happening”

Storyteller Story #3: Wind & Leaves

“I like long walks on the beach, horseback riding, and deep conversation…” No. Scratch that. “Stimulating conversation.” Crap. I hate writing these stupid things. You can’t sound too smart you’ll scare someone off. You can sound like an idiot and you might get a date. Then they are disappointed when they find out you are smart. If you are physically attractive and smart, well…then their head might just explode. Ok. Let’s try this: “Multi-faceted individual. Looking for someone to grow with…” That sounds like a resume. Ok. “Must love nature. Must love hiking or at least walking. I love seeing the emerald green of my surroundings and feeling a cool breeze on my skin after working up a good sweat…” Hmmm. No. Too cheesy. Well…wait. I don’t want to sound all ‘hippy dippy’ but that’s kind of who I am. Right? I’ll leave it. Oh, who am I kidding? “I love horseback riding and long walks on the beach. Looking for someone to be my ‘plus one’…”

Storyteller Story #2: I Never Want Summer to End

“You are like my soul, a butterfly of a dream…It sounds as though you were lamenting, a butterfly cooing like a dove. Her eyes were the color of faraway love. Sus labius se cortaron en la luz del coral…”

We read Pablo together everyday. On the beach, in the sun, in the shade. He read it to me in Spanish (Spanish is so romantic!). I would get something like little butterflies fluttering or giant fish flip flopping in my stomach whenever he talked. Off in the distance I could see Mrs. Talbot with her 3 crazy kids. They only really listened to me. Mrs. Talbot said I was the best babysitter they’d ever had. No more babysitting for me! And now there is only Pablo and Emmet. I asked My mom if she’d ever heard of Pablo Neruda. She said no. I told her how romantic it was. She didn’t think I saw, but I saw her roll her eyes. It’s not my fault she’s all dried up inside. Emmet says it’s not our parent’s fault they can’t remember love. That we have to help them to remember what it is like to be young. I decided I agree with Emmet: getting old is kind of like a disease and we have to help the people that are sick. I told my mom one of my favorite lines from Pablo: “Love is so short, forgetting is so long.” She just looked at me. I don’t think she gets it.

Storyteller Story #1 - Do You Hear The Drums?

The most important component of my most recent show Storyteller was the stories that accompanied each piece. Some are long, some are short. Some are more like poems others monologues. Each, though, says a little about the person that I imagine would wear each piece.

People at the showing told me how much they enjoyed reading the stories that accompanied the work.  I thought it would be a shame if the only place people really read them was at the show so I decided to post them again here. I will post one a week here until they are all up.

Story One: Can You Hear the Drums? 

Can You Hear the Drums?

Boom Ba. Boom de boom bop bop! Thump. Thump. Thump…I can feel it in my chest. In my heart. That whole rhythm is in my body. My mama said I came out dancing! Popin’ and lockin’. Break Dancin’. Tap. Jazz. Modern. Even a little ballet. I don’t discriminate. Definitely a little African. Positively Brazilian. I threw a little capoeira in there. Do that sweet side flip that drives the girls wild and stops those boys in their tracks. Only men here. They don’ know who they messin’ with! They don’t know in the battle it’s not with me they fightin’. It’s the beat. It’s the rhythm. It’s the drums. It’s the bass. It’s the passion. It’s the color. It’s the light. It’s the heart. It’s the music. It’s the love. And everybody knows you can’t fight the love.

What Are You Waiting For?

As artists it seems like we are always waiting for something... for someone to buy our work, for someone to recognize our talent, for someone to give us the job we've always wanted. To be the independent thinkers that we are, it sure seems like we do a lot of waiting for others to give us what we believe we deserve. Furthermore, the people we are waiting on tend to be corporate entities and organizations (in general not purveyors of independent thinking and creativity) holding our futures in their hands...or do they?

For a long time after being out of school I looked and looked for a job in Graphic Design. I looked in Jacksonville. I looked in Philadelphia. I looked in San Francisco. I was looking for other jobs too and had worked other jobs, but what I wanted was a job doing what I loved: being an artist. I'm not sure why it took me three cities and several years to understand that when no one is offering what you want, even if you've really worked for it, maybe you have to create it for yourself.

How does one get something that only another person can give them if they don't want to give it to you? Good question. I'm not talking about them though, I'm talking about you. Create the opportunities you want for yourself. 

How do you create opportunities for yourself? Here's a couple suggestions:

1. Waiting on a job? Create your own. If you didn't know, there are freelancing and contracting sites for artists as well. It's not all Monster and CareerBuilder out there. Carbonmade is one example but there are many portfolio hosting sites that also make your work accessible to those looking for artists for temporary or contract assignments.

2. Want to build your rep? Offer to work for free (for a trial period) or volunteer. I know it seems counterintuitive, but providing your services and to a non-profit or an organization that needs them might put you in the right place at the right time. If you are offering a trial period for your services make sure you are proactive and specify an end date. In both of these types of situations don't forget to protect your work and ask for testimonials and/or letters of recommendation in exchange for the work.

3. Want to participate in a show/exhibition? Organize your own. Sitting around waiting for the perfect time, opportunity, and people to align so that you can be in a show is sometimes like waiting for a unicorn to appear. I know I make it sound super easy... because actually it is. It is just a large amount of work and organization. I've done it. I looked for other artists to show my work with and they disappeared or just didn't follow through. I ended up doing the show alone. But it was great. Stressful and a whole lot of things went wrong, but it's one thing I've done where things weren't anywhere near perfect and I was still very proud of the experience I gained.

I've just given you three examples, But there are many situations in which you can create your own opportunities. You just have to look for the way out of what you feel is a room in which you are trapped, there's usually a simple way to solve your problem--usually it just involves making your own exit.
 

Art Clique. Art Crew or Art Cruel?

 I think clubs are great. Not the dancing, loud music kind (though those are awesome! Who doesn’t love dancing??), but the ones where like-minded individuals who have similar interests get together and bond. This doesn’t mean that you all think exactly the same things and execute your artwork in the same way. It could be something as simple as you are all writers or sculptors; or it could be nothing at all except your desire to share a space. Whatever has brought you together has the potential to be a great partnership.

The Rise of the Collective…Again.

Over the past few years there has been a steadily growing trend of artist collectives and cooperatives for various reasons. Artists coming together and forming communities is nothing new though.

Sometimes ‘more’ is just ‘more’, but in the case of artists combining their assets, so to speak, ‘more’ can definitely beneficial.

The More We Get Together…

Not all cliques are bad. Artists get together to share studio space, do collaborative projects and performances, panel discussions, and create educational programming. All events and situations can go just a little bit smoother when working ensemble. When we as artists come together we can exchange ideas, be inspired by one another and have the opportunity to create so much more.

Throughout history artists have also come together as a response to being excluded from the more mainstream and conventional fine art circles.

A few examples: The Eight was a group of artists (mostly) associated with the Ashcan School; The Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, Printmakers etc. organized a showing of art that eventually became the Impressionist Movement. Afri-Cobra was an artist collective that came about as a response to the turbulent and revolutionary 1960s and 1970s. They were a group of artists bound together by their political and social commentaries. See? As groups and collectives these artists ended up being much stronger initially than going solo.

Here Come the Cons…(the Opposite of Pros, That Is)

As the universe would have it there is a yin to every yang. There must be an opposite and opposing force. So just as getting your own art crew together may have its benefits there are also possible side effects or crappy circumstances that develop. Sometimes we are absolutely oblivious. So here’s are a few hints that your once super and supportive art crew has gone art cruel:

When Your Art Buddies Have Gone Bonkers.

1. When You Are No Longer Allowed to Be an Individual. Just because you are a part of a group it doesn’t mean you are supposed to do exactly the same thing as the artist next to you does. If you are being pressured to copy someone else’s style or technique. You aren’t being allowed to develop organically as an artist. No chemical fertilizers necessary ;) 

2. When Other Artists Spend More Time Bad-Mouthing Other Artists Instead of Producing Work. High school and various non.elective work situations are toxic enough! Why would you choose to subject yourself to negative gossip fests about other people who are more than likely…wait for it…working!? Plus talking bad about other folks makes you feel yucky inside. We don’t want yucky insides do we?

3. Is This an Episode of “The Young and the Artless”? If there is drama in your workspace or every time you and your crew get together this could be a drain. When you are drained you aren’t focused. When you aren’t focused you don’t do your work. When you don’t do your work you aren’t happy. When you aren’t happy you make other people miserable. Don’t make other people miserable.

4. You Feel Less Creative. Who wants to be a part of an art group that makes them feel less like creating new work? Working with others has the potential to infuse new energy into your work and career, especially if you’ve only worked solo. So if you no longer want to make anything or do anything while associated with your group, maybe you should rethink the group thing.

5. When Being Apart of the Group Yields More Negatives Than Positives. This art collective/cooperative thing should be good for you. It should be a positive thing to say the least. If dues or rent have become a strain, you are pulled into secrets and intrigue (Who really wants to live in a Clancy novel? Read yes. Live no.), or if you are plain old unhappy, let it go.

Here I Go Again On My Own.

All of this talk about groups making you feel lonely? No need. If you work best on your own there’s nothing wrong with that. A lot of us artist types love to go off and do our own thing and that’s great. Just keep in mind there’s a whole other world of collaboration out there. You just have to know when it works for you and when it doesn’t.

I’d love to hear what you think. Are you a part of an art crew? How do you feel about it?

Encourage someone else to ‘get reincarnated’! If you liked what I wrote feel free to pass it on. Thanks for reading.

Haters Gonna Hate...

Have you ever had a friend in your life that you loved spending time with and loved talking to, but alternately did not feel that you could truly trust? A ‘friend’ that you spend time with that, instead of making you feel great, your self-esteem takes a hit each minute you are in their presence?  A special artist colleague you share ideas with, who says they’ll never work and turns around and uses the same ideas they criticized? Sounds like you might have a frenemy.

How do you know when someone is a frenemy?

Frenemy, (spelled alternately frienemy) is defined as enemy pretending to be a friend or someone who really is a friend but is also a rival. The term is used to describe personal, geopolitical, and commercial relationships both among individuals and groups or institutions.

Personally, I don’t believe in the idea of frenemies. I believe that people are primarily encouraging or discouraging forces in one’s life; friend or enemy. It has become quite the trend to think of a friend or two in one’s entourage as a frenemy (just watch reruns of Gossip Girl or Work of Art: The Next Great Artist). Eventhough the phrase has been around for a while, it seems as if the idea of having a friend that doubles as an enemy really has taken off in the past few years and is even seen as acceptable. But truly it is difficult for a friend and enemy to exist in the same space. There are a few who do believe it is possible though.

Some might argue that having a friend who isn’t afraid to critique and criticize might make you a stronger person able to defend your ideas, but when that’s all your ‘friend’ does it knocks any relationship off balance and tips the scales more toward the negative.

Friendships already require lots of work. Why have friends that make you feel bad too?

It is true. To be a good friend is a job; usually one worth having. But when the negative and positive aspects to a friendship aren’t balanced you might feel that having certain folks as friends is more work than it is worth.

As an artist, surrounding yourself with those who will encourage and positively influence you is a must. It is even more important because the positive or negative feelings influence you and how you work. It is great to have someone in your life who challenges you to try new media, take an idea to another level, or open your own studio, but when the ‘challenges’ tip the scales more toward the negative then maybe a reassessment is in order:

Maybe you have to choose. I am not saying that you have to, but an article about the cause of frenemy type relationships I read recently points the finger at a lack of space between professional and personal lives. Maybe you have a friend that you share a studio with, live with, and hang out with. Maybe a little space and separation is in order. If you are living and working with someone, hang out with another group of friends when you leave the studio. Hanging out and working together? Perhaps change your living situation. The fact remains; changes might need to be made to salvage the work relationship or the friendship. Sometimes spending 30 hours a day together just doesn’t work.

Know the difference. Know the difference between someone that is purposely hurting you and someone who is simply a clueless bumbling idiot when it comes to their interactions with others. If your friend is of the bumbling idiot persuasion tell them how you feel. Hopefully that will nip things in the bud.

Understand what and who affects you and how. Went to dinner and a movie with Chip and now you feel like crap. Either you have food poisoning or Chip might be a little toxic. If conversation usually hovers around the energy vampire level (that is sucking all of the good energy and light out of a room) every time you are together then don’t ignore the obvious: Chip makes you feel a little queasy. Pay close attention to how you feel when in the company of others. Why spend time with people who make you feel not so great? Life is too short.

Accept challenges, not disrespect. If someone is challenging you do become a better artist and or person don’t confuse the fear of change with actual straight up ugly toxicity. When a person you hang out with is not respectful of you, and your ideas and feelings it is obvious, you will feel it.

Know when it is time to kick someone to the curb. I know it sounds harsh, but the simplified version of the story is: This person is negative. They make you feel bad. You need to leave them in the dust. The end. If you’ve already made attempts to express your feelings and work on a friendship and they’ve been ignored, you might have to move on. The end (again). Your call.

I'm Just the Messenger... 

Listen, I am not telling you to dump all of your friends. With every friendship there are ups and downs; nobody is perfect.

I am just saying be observant of how those you spend the most time with affect your being and your spirit. Keep those who encourage you, love you, help you to grow, support you, and help you to expand your horizons close by. You might notice a difference in the way you feel and the artwork you produce.

Finding Your Focus.

Ever sit down to do work and find that you are anxious, easily distracted or simply can’t sit still and focus long enough to get anything done. After an hour or so of pretending to do ‘research’ playing Candy Crush Saga then you just give up all together.

Did I just blow your mind with my telepathic skills? How do I know you so well you ask? I admit I am not telepathic, but I can relate because most of us do the same thing at some point in time or another [though simple tv is my procrastination weapon of choice]. I’ve had days where all that I have to do positively overwhelms me and stops me before I even get started. So how does one keep moving when their brain is on lockdown?

How to fix your brain when it feels broken.

I have a few things that work for me when I need to force myself to work. Some are kooky and some are more acceptable to the masses and a bit more traditional. No matter how you label these suggestions they are here and ripe for the picking. The key is to choose what works best for you so that you can get what you got to do DONE!

1. Create your own ritual. Short definition of ritual: Any act or procedure that is consistently followed. Key word: consistent. This tip is by far, I feel, is the most effective for a lot of people so we shall start here.

Can’t complete a sentence until you’ve had a cup of coffee, tea, or bowl of ice cream? No work until you’ve had a good meal and a shower? Thirty minutes of reading and a good workout to start your day off right?

All of those sound like good ways to get your workday started. Recognize when you have a ritual and a way of starting your day. Don’t fight it. Honor it by completing your daily practice and get going. If you haven’t noticed what you do to get your day going, start paying a little more attention to yourself. Use what you discover to make your work time productive time every day.

2. Exercise.  If you are fidgeting and anxious sometimes a quick burst of activity is just the right thing to get the ants out of your pants.10-15 Jumping jacks.1-2 minutes of      jumping rope. Running in place for 30 seconds. 5 push-ups. Don’t do them all, just pick one or two. The key isn’t to get you tired. The goal is to get your mind and body to focus on the primary activity that you want to perform. This also works if you are feeling a bit sluggish and need to wake up a bit.

3. Pick A Place. Anyplace.  Sometimes you need to get started plain and simple.      Often times we sabotage ourselves by saying we must complete a specific task before we complete another. Not for any reason in particular, just because you have it in your head that it needs to be done that way. Maybe you should start with the task that you most dread.Or start in the middle instead of the beginning. Go ahead and do it. Get it out of the way so that you aren’t dragging your feet to avoid getting to it.

4. Go to sleep.  Are you procrastinating or are you exhausted? Know the difference. If you’ve been working way past your bedtime lately maybe the best thing to do is go      to sleep. No one gets any medals or trophies for passing out at their computer, just a nasty kink in your neck. There is a lot to be said for going to sleep for a few hours [or at least an hour nap if you must work]  and getting up with a fresh [and rested] perspective.

5. Play a singing bowl. I can just hear you now: “A what??” Before you start saying how crazy I am, read more about it.  A singing bowl is known primarily a tool used for      meditation. It has also been thought to be a tool for healing. It is played by running a wooden dowel known as a striker around the rim of the bowl. It is one of the purest, clearest sounds you will ever hear. I love them because whenever I play it feels as if the sound resonates through me  clearing out all the cobwebs. Sounds all cheesy and new agey, but it works for me. Regular meditation without the bowl to focus or clear your mind works pretty well too.

6. Write in a journal. There’s nothing better to clear your mind than getting all those thoughts rolling around in your head out of your head.  Sometimes when you choose to write down those problems, concerns, and ideas cluttering your psyche you actually have the opportunity to work through them or flesh out the idea while simultaneously freeing up space to think about something else! Perfect.

7. Find the best time. Discovering where and what time of day you work best is essential to being productive and keeping focused on your work.  Can you really work with music or the tv on? Are you more alert in the morning or in the evenings? Do you have to hide in a secret place at a library or at home to work effectively? Making these types of personal  assessments will ensure that you are going to be successful when it comes to getting your work done.

8. Go to a movie. ...[or listen to some new music, or go dancing, or go to a concert, or read a book] This tip is two-fold; if you are trying to focus or jumpstart your creative brain. This is definitely my favorite tip for obvious and not so obvious reasons. Sure it seems like a procrastination tool, but just listen to my logic. When you go to an event or happening where other people are being creative it literally refills your creative well when it is reaching critical status. I find that when I am looking at someone else being creative I, myself, end up feeling more inspired and creative. Therefore helping me to think a little out of the box when it comes to problem solving. See! That wrapped up nicely with a bow.

9. Make a list. Last but not least, you should make a list of what you need to do. If you are feeling overwhelmed with the 100 things you believe that you have to do. Make a list. Lists help you fully define what it is that you need to accomplish. There are times when you believe you have lots to do, you make a list only to discover that a number of      your tasks can be combined, streamlined, or eliminated all together. You might find that the 100 things you have to do is actually just 50. Don’t you just love it when that happens?