Artist Statement

What is it about writing an artist statement...one's own artist statement...that is so incredibly daunting? Paralyzing even? Last week Fiona wrote about composing hers. How timely her post was because I too needed to update, well...let's be honest...write a whole new artist statement - one about my mark making rather the oh-so-out-of-date-one that was for my weavings. 

Sunday morning, the painful process began. I kept going back to Fiona's post to review the points that Alyson B. Stanfield of Art Biz Coach suggested one consider when writing one's artist statement. 

Soon enough, two pages were filled with what my inspiration is, what gets me in the studio, what it is about rust that excites me, etc. The lists were easy. Taking those lists and turning them into a cohesive paragraph or two was anything but.

Monday morning found me at the computer, alternately staring at the blank screen and the lists, trying desperately to write...something...anything. An artist statement was needed, like NOW. Really. Today in fact. 

All the while, a comment Pam made during our usual Friday Skype session kept flitting through my mind...that I am good at writing stories. So why not write my artist statement as a story? And so it began...

You know that person you see every now and then who looks both ways to make sure no cars are coming, then steps out into the street only to bend down and pick something up before continuing along their way? That would be me. What I just retrieved from the road is a rusty bit – a washer perhaps – that caught my eye.

And then the little urchins woke and came shuffling sleepily into the studio to say good morning. The moment was lost. 

Later in the day, I found myself with a bit of free time and decided to go to the mall. Walking through the parking lot, something on the ground caught my eye so I bent to retrieve it, making sure to look both ways to insure no cars were coming...and a small laugh escaped remembering the words I'd written earlier. 

This morning, facing a 5 pm deadline, I continued the story and finally...FINALLY...finished my artist statement.

Rust has a quiet power, a vibrancy and mysteriousness that draws me in and begs to be explored, to be played and experimented with. Mark making with rust is unpredictable and complex yet the marks themselves have a simplicity that allows the quiet power to come through while the many textures and layers left by the rust hint at stories yet to be told. 

 

My current work combines mark making with rust and hand stitching with my love of Japanese boro.