Blog Hop - My Artistic Ways

So darling Shipwreck Dandy invited me last week to answer four questions in this thing that is called a "blog hop".  They are questions regarding an artist's work and ways of working, so thank you for the opportunity!  It's a good exercise for myself as well, as I put in words what I do.

Here's some of her work:

What Am I Currently Working On?

I’ve currently engaged so many media I’ve lost count, but I will start with the newest medium: polymer clay.

I’ve started experimenting with polymer clay starting last month and I’m currently working on some beads.  The goal is to produce authentically rustic beads that are nature oriented.  I’ve got to admit: Poly Clay is HARD!!! I can’t believe all these artists that make beads work so hard and charge so little! 

Anyways, here’s some in progress, mostly attempts...

I’m also working on reorganizing my supplies to post on my supply shop.  It’s an ongoing process but I’m really behind, I really have quite a stash, and it doesn’t help that I get sentimentally attached!  I’m a bit of a glass fanatic, especially vintage beads and I don’t often use them either! What’s wrong with this picture?!  But they are so pwetty….

Here's a peak...just a peak of my vintage stash...MINE!

I suppose jewelry-wise, I’m in the same boat:

I’m working on something rustic and organic like this at the moment...(in progress with others)

How does my work differ from others of its genre? 

This is kind of a hard question to answer, so I’m going to answer it bluntly:  it doesn’t.  Why would I say such a thing?  Well, simply put as my sculpture professor said in college “nothing is truly original, every art piece out there is based on previous works”.  I feel that is very much true: whether you have looked at someone’s jewelry, painting, sculpture, vase or whatnot chances are you have been somewhat been influenced by it.  So in a sense I think we assimilate previous work in our mental repertoire and somehow have that in the back of our mind at all times.  It’s not necessarily a question of straight up “copying “ but it is just that it’s inevitable: I’m looking daily at other people’s work I like and thinking “uh, I wanna try that!”.  I think it’s ok as long as you incorporate ideas into your own style and meaning.  I feel a style it’s something that just develops on its own.  So does my work differ from others of its genre? Not particularly.  Do I have a style of my own? Yes, but it’s hard to pinpoint and describe, because it is a collection of interests, influence and well…life experiences!

Why do I create what I do? 

Creating makes me happy and it frees my mind. It’s a necessity, a way of living.  Every time I’m in front of a canvas or soldering a link, I feel closer to God, as He is the ultimate creator.  I also find it very therapeutic and meditative.  I think human beings are inherently creators and denying that truth within us makes us feel depressed. I believe if everyone took the time to create whether it’s a piece of Art, a garden, a dish, the whole world would be a better place…as cliché as it sounds it is indeed something I believe to be absolutely true…

How does my creative process work?

Oh gosh! How doesn’t it work? If I could summarize it in one word, it would be “through experimentation”…that was 2 words, wasn’t it?

You get the picture… ¾ of the time I change my work halfway or when I’m close to finishing.  Although this may be a frustrating process to most, it’s essential in my work.  Mistakes are left or corrected depending on my personal aesthetics (don’t ask) and they play a main role in the outcome of my work.  This extends to all media: whether it is spillage in a painting or a miscast in a sculpture or a crooked link in a necklace, I feel all of it is not accidental, it is not to be hated, but embraced.

My favorite professor in college, my Painting professor, made sure I understood this very early in my artistic career:  one of the first assignments she gave us was a drawing assignment where we were forced to draw a still life she set up in our classroom one day, only to come an change it the next with the same objects but different positions.  She would make us erase everything that changed positions (“knock it back” she would say) and re-draw it.  The outcome would be this quite messy drawing that had “ghosts” of chair legs, boxes, dolls and whatnot…

Imagine all that, I just wanted to cry, because it wasn’t “perfect” to my eyes.  In time I learned to appreciate the beauty of these “ghosts” and “mistakes” as I realized they made the composition intriguing and organic.  I’ve been in love with “accidents” ever since. Handmade is human, handmade is imperfect, handmade is organic, handmade is life itself…

OH YEAH! I also scribble and doodle a lot for inspiration...

Anyways, I hope you’ve enjoyed this little rant and I hope that it helps you understand my ways a little better when it comes to the creative process. I especially hope I didn’t get too serious either ^_^; cause I’m quite the contrary…


And the next participants of the blog hop are...*drumroll*

-Angela Sasser from Angelic Shades  and Angelic Artisan (painter, fantasy illustrator, mask and jewelry artisan)

ShadowCraft - The Artisan Blog of Angela Sasser

-Robyn Parrish from The French Circus (vintage assemblage jewelry artisan and designer)

http://www.thefrenchcircusvintagejewelry.com/blog/

Please don't miss out on what these wonderful artists have to share on July 28th 2014!  Make sure you mark their blog on your list!

See you soon!