Speaking with a collagist friend of mine on Sunday, I recanted my visit to an exhibition opening on Saturday. The artists, however, are more interested in showing than in doing. Forty years is a lifetime of challenges both in subject and media. Now instead of a studio I have a corner for my body and mind. I too choose work that allows me solitude even in a busy household.
Work grows with the challenges.
If we do enough work, one or two pieces will usually sing, but if we don't know how we got there, it's unlikely we can pull it off with any consistency, certainly not under pressure. An inordinate preoccupation with the final product lends too much weight to the commercial market. If, on the other hand, we're thoughtfully engaged in the process of artmaking, a high quality product is almost always a naturally recurring afterthought of this engagement. Once Process is nailed down, then we can, more often than not, move beyond technique and tap into that place where the best work comes from more often. I had always visualized my goal of becoming an artist and held that vision wherever I went, however personal circumstances prevented me from making that dream a reality until I was free of other responsibilities.