A Body of Work and Artist Associations

Also known as BOW Jan- April: I am creating a series of headdresses.  Very decorative, costume based combined media works.  It has taken a couple of weeks to create and fine tune the idea, materials, and forms for this series, but I am extremely excited to start my prototype, and move onto the main structures.  These will be exhibited in the Touchstones gallery of Nelson, BC, near the end of April. I am also hoping to enter one of these into a show in Vancouver called 'Talking Heads, a Contemporary Take on Headdresses'. It will run from July 25- Sept 7 2013.

I am also in the process of renewing my membership to VANL-CARFAC, and applying for membership to the Surface Design Association.
 
In the larger scheme of things, it's becoming more important to form a network of artists and groups that can help support you (at least mentally) when you cease to be a student.  I have already experienced a bit of this after achieving my BFA: it was really hard to get back into art.  I joined an artist collective based in NL called Stockpile, and I got back into the whole artistic process, but it was a struggle to balance my day job and my goals of a career.  I am doubly determined to keep my focus upon the end of this final semester.

I leave now to read up on business contracts between artists and clients, and further my mental work on BOW.
 

The Dilemma

Today I set out with intention.  I put on my 'shroud' costume, black pants, and picked up my camera.  The video and general shots of the costume were to be done on a background of snow, which had fallen last night.  So, I set up my camera, stood in place, and observed the ensuing silence- the batteries were enough to turn on the camera, but not take a photo. 

So, back to the recharger they go.  And another day awaits for the video and shots to take place.

With the new year, I am aiming to update this site more often.  But there needs to be some commentary, along with the occasional photo logs~ I feel some of this commentary will stem from other interests in my life that certainly help inspire my art, and are becoming more prevalent as time passes.  A deep interest in the Occupy movement gave rise to my final surface design on canvas and cotton fabric, dyed and printed with plant dyes.  I pay more and more attention to that movement, and others such as the recent Idle No More.  I am continually reading about politics, the environment, activism, grassroots organizations and gatherings. 

I know that what I read, look at, and spend time with affects my art practice.  The other day I went to volunteer at the SPCA where I help socialize the cats there.  I find myself thinking about how going to school without a job has affected my work, how I want to be making a living in the world after graduation, and I find I still need to learn so much more.  There is so much in the world to become immersed in.  There is so much wealth outside of the dollar.

Yet, the dollar is what makes me able to buy materials- so the big dilemma awaits for this semester.  I must decide if I can put aside the prejudices of my school against anything that is not a natural fibre, and simply reuse what has been already made (left over poly blend fibres, clothing, etc)- creating all my projects out of what I already have around me.  Perhaps this would be the first step to achieving a freeform and experimental process of fibre art.