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occupational therapy for an artist
karen klucowicz • August 2, 2020
why I go to art exhibitions
Today I went to the Art Gallery of Hamilton to get my fix. I do this once in a while and then I’m reminded I should do it regularly. Years ago someone said to me a show or piece of art will either inspire and motivate you or could throw you into despair. Today, I’m happy to say the show brought me inspiration, ideas and motivation as well as, a new appreciation for the artist - Michael Snow ! This is an exhibit of his early work and really well done.
When you work in a series it’s sometimes difficult to tear yourself away from it - for me, I’m always drawn back to it and have obviously not finished with it. I’ve been working in the same series for over five years now... I do sometimes move to trying new techniques, a bit of mixed media, and levels of abstraction but the subject content and serie’s concepts remain. The show today made me realize it’s okay. When I’m finished with it I’m quite sure I’ll move on to something new - what that might be I have no idea but I’m sure I’ll know when it is time. At this time and after seeing this show I have been inspired to consider some of the takeways I have garnered in seeing Snow’s work.
. it’s okay to not fill the whole canvas ie not applying paint to every square inch doesn’t diminish the concept;
. on canvas size... I find I get engulfed in a piece that is very large - the environment around it is in melts away and I’m mesmerized by the colours and textures before me - so i want to do a bigger canvas than I’ve ever done and see how it is to paint within that scenario;
. I will continue to and ramp up my exploration of mixed media - I love pencil and conté and charcoal and have experimented with them before together with paint but Snow’s work has shown me a new appreciation for it and I will try again.
That’s enough for now! Time to get to work - so much to do - I’ll keep you posted lol
When you work in a series it’s sometimes difficult to tear yourself away from it - for me, I’m always drawn back to it and have obviously not finished with it. I’ve been working in the same series for over five years now... I do sometimes move to trying new techniques, a bit of mixed media, and levels of abstraction but the subject content and serie’s concepts remain. The show today made me realize it’s okay. When I’m finished with it I’m quite sure I’ll move on to something new - what that might be I have no idea but I’m sure I’ll know when it is time. At this time and after seeing this show I have been inspired to consider some of the takeways I have garnered in seeing Snow’s work.
Some of my takeaways today are:
. magazines, show catalogues, online... there is nothing like seeing art in person;
. I should go back to some of my own foundation basics and do a high realism piece once in a while;. it’s okay to not fill the whole canvas ie not applying paint to every square inch doesn’t diminish the concept;
. on canvas size... I find I get engulfed in a piece that is very large - the environment around it is in melts away and I’m mesmerized by the colours and textures before me - so i want to do a bigger canvas than I’ve ever done and see how it is to paint within that scenario;
. I tend to manipulate paints to blend and bleed into one another and in so doing I get obsessed with the ‘smooth’ transition of one to another - today I’m reminded that sometimes you need to have stark and true applications of a colour or texture to deliver the concept so I will try to deliberately leave some areas alone and see where that takes the piece;
and finally, (well maybe not)
That’s enough for now! Time to get to work - so much to do - I’ll keep you posted lol
Images above were taken at the Art Gallery of Hamilton Early Michael Snow exhibit — great show! #CanadaUnited
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