Some of the popular challenges that artist's face (yes, myself included) are: how to create work of meaning in others and to themselves, to create meaning in the process of the work, how to balance work and play (really, art can NOT be play sometimes), how to piece together this somewhat ambiguous career of artist (financially and health-fully) and where to draw inspiration and ideas from. The last few months I've really been "putting myself out there" on all of these fronts.... I am getting out of the studio and on the road, less to paint, and more to talk shop and attend opportunities to grow. What about this week? Although I returned to my classroom for 2 days / week and got my family back into the structure of the fall... I was fortunate to attend Jackie Battenfield's talk in Belfast. She's the author of "The Artist's Guide", a wonderful book that I have been referring to for a couple of years. Still digesting my notes but wrote, "My work is more about a relationship with paint, marks, and an emotional response to the formal elements in picture making. Its less about WHAT and more about HOW. " Also, attended a lovely BBQ in Falmouth with many artists - some popular, some favored, some even famous.... Yesterday I put the finishing touches on my chicken book "They Came In A Box" and sent it off to be a part of a Book Arts Exhibition at the University of Southern Maine... so see here some of the places I have drawn inspiration, admired beauty, book forms, and recent paintings...
