Recently in General Category

What is in an Artist statement? Its my statement, its about my work... right? So why is it so hard? I have tried many times to just sit down and write this statement. I know what I do, and I know what I like, but how do I put it into words? I am generally good at writing, but when it comes to writing about my work, I am absolutely stuck! How do artists do it? Where do you find the inspiration to write about your own work and find the guidance to know what to say? I need the answers to those questions to move forward with what I want to do.

Perhaps I should just collect all of the parts of statements I have started writing and see if there is anything there... until then, I guess I will just use a placeholder for my statement. Time to drag out the Latin generator (I bet someone I know will try to translate it).

As much as I enjoy blogging about my art here, it doesn't seem to happen very often, so I feel as though I should once again make a change to things. I feel like a more suitable alternative would be a true gallery style configuration for this site, or a separate site set up in a configuration like that. What does this mean exactly? Well, it doesn't mean use a lame photo gallery software to set up a site, that's for certain. I want to set up a site that is me, artistically, and just that, nothing else. I think I want to open with my artist's statement (I should probably write one) and then have users step through the site like they are going through an actual gallery. Images of each work will be displayed with their technical details and a few words from the artist (me) about each one. I think I want to give the user the ability to "step" into any "room" of my gallery they like (most likely by medium) and but the only other navigation is back/forward between pieces... like in a real gallery. The entire idea needs to be let out for some air before I start any actual development on such a site, but I think it would be really cool.

There has been much speculation about my academic involvement in art. In the beginning I took a wheel ceramics course to satisfy my desire to acquire the skill to perform such a simple thing as throwing a bowl. In my second wheel course I was encouraged to expand and do things more interesting. This lead to my movement to sculptural ceramics. Sometime later, I had the acknowledgment of the fact that you don't have to know how to draw to take a course in drawing. Now... I don't know. I am in my second drawing course, have completed 3 ceramics courses and will be venturing into photography in the summer, oh, and not to leave out the liberal studies (western history and culture) course that I took in the field of Art History.

I am still unsure whether I will pursue the full BFA degree, but at the least, I wish to work on an AFA degree to evaluate my interest in going the full length for the higher degree. I could potentially find it within myself to complete an MFA degree, but in what field? I have an interest in ceramics, drawing, photography, painting and culinary arts. I have never truely focused myself, but I feel that after a few more studio courses I will be able to find my field in art.

I feel that getting away from art at UNCC for a little while will be healthy, as most instuctors in the department all act the same way and think the same way. I need difference, I need exploration.

It is possible you could be reading this from one of two places, you could be reading this blog from a link received from the original site at http://www.ClayMentality.net/Blog, or you could be coming from the new location at http://art.livecurt.net. Either way, you have reached my new centralized art blog.

This new blog has all of the entries from the old ceramic blog, but will also begin having entries about other forms of art which I participate in. In my attempts to become a  more well rounded person, this blog will  serve as a public  journal of my adventures in art. This blog will probably remain as calm as it always has been, but at least now it will be all together. This is by no means a truly active blog, but it has its purpose.

One of the primary objectives of this blog will be for me to resolve some internal conflicts with myself and discover some of the meaning behind some of the symbols I use in my art. I have never really had a real reason for pursuing art, it has just called to me, which makes establishing reasons for some of the things that my sub-conscious mind pulls forward a bit of a challenge.

Welcome to the Art Blog at http://art.livecurt.net.

I can not continue seeing ceramics as an art for myself. I enjoyed the time I spent with sculpture, but it just isn't working for me. My vision isn't in the three dimensional forms now. I very much want to return to functional forms. Looking back in my collection of inspirational images, they are all functional. I like making things that people can actually use.

If I pursue ceramics as a career, I want to set up a shop where people come in to me and place an order for exactly what they want in the way of functional ware. I want to hand make bowls, plates, mugs or whatever for people. I want people to come into my shop and tell me exactly what they want, make a set that is uniquely theirs. One of the most important things I want to do is be able to give people the option to expand their sets or replace broken/lost pieces just by coming back to me.

I want to make functional ware because it is important to real people.

Over the past few months I have abandoned my wheel partially. I have begun working on sculptural pieces and am moving into a more expressive direction with my ceramic work. I feel as though when I do return to functional ceramics, this time in my life will have an impact on that work. I feel very positively towards the direction I am taking my work. I enjoy working integrating sculptural elements into my wheel thrown vessels, as well as creating completely handbuilt pieces. I suppose moving a bit out of the ordinary is having a positive impact on my creativity.

I am participating in my guild's Spring sale. I invite all of my local visitors to come and see my work at the sale.

Carolina ClayMatters Guild Barn Sale
May 12, 2007 10am - 4pm
McAlpine Barn
McAlpine Business Park
8300 Monroe Rd
Charlotte, NC 28211

I've not been much for getting my work to be publicly noticed, but lately a few opportunities have come about that I have been eager to accept. I have 5 of my pieces in the Carolina ClayMatters Guild gallery, and one piece is currently in the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. In addition, I have the opportunity to have some of my pieces in the Prometheus Gallery in Rock Hill, SC during April, I am excited about the option, but also nervous about selecting pieces to put in the gallery. I am having to work overtime in the studio to prepare for both my final critique in my ceramics course as well as have stuff for the gallery. I think this will all be worth it once everything gets going and I am able to spread my wings and let real people see my work.

I am now a member of Carolina ClayMatters Pottery Guild, and I went to my first meeting on Sunday. The guild seems very friendly. In some ways the meeting was a little overwhelming, there are so many members. Overall I enjoyed the meeting, but I really wish I had spent more time getting to know people instead of trying to hang around the familiar people. During the meeting I spotted this one gentleman who looked familiar to me, but I couldn't figure out why. I found out after the meeting that the guy, Barry Lockman, used to be a customer of my grandfather's store, he used to purchase fuel for his kiln from him. Other than that, the only other familiar faces I saw were the ones of people I had seen at Carolina Clay before.

The guild made me feel really welcome at the meeting, a fact which will certainly drive me to want to be more involved in the activities of the guild (including the spring barn sale).

Related links:
Guild Website
Carolina Clay Connection

I am sick of people telling me that I won't be "successful" in life, or "have the money to do the things" I want because of the status that being a potter puts me at, but at this point, I don't care what people say. I feel really great when an old lady asks me to make a few bowls for her because they "make her food look beautiful", then so be it. I am a potter, no one will change that about me.

"Throw your life away, be a potter" - Jinny Hargrove