What’s it mean? Why am I spending time doing this?

I’ve had two different opportunities this week to talk to other artmakers on the subject of art being ABOUT something.

Last Thursday I gave a gallery talk at Ormond Beach Memorial Museum for the textile art exhibit currently on display. (I just have to say what a thrill it was to be in a room with five of my large quilts beautifully lit, beautifully hung, and the room packed with about forty people who were interested enough to show up and listen. Wow!)

Introducing my way of working, I listed my studio choices. One is that I want to make work that’s ABOUT something. 

This might seem obvious. But my earliest experiences with surface design were experiences in process. I was thrilled to create images on fabric. I loved monoprinting. I delighted in mixing geometric shapes with organic. I dove into explorations of colors and layering. For a while, this was enough.

I completely understand how fascinating and absorbing it can be to put images on fabric and then to bask in the pleasure of looking at those images. “Wow! Look at the fabulous detail I got in that leaf!”

I have discovered, however, even more meaning in using those surface design methods to communicate ideas and emotions. I do this mostly through visual storytelling.

It can be about memories.
It can be about dreams.
It can be about things you fear.
it can be about thinks you imagine.
It can be about things you don’t understand.
It can be about things you are coming to understand.

Ideas prompt images. Then images spark more ideas. Then concepts develop and deepen.

This is the process that draws me into the studio for hours at a time.

My second opportunity to talk to another artist about artwork being ABOUT something was a conversation sharing grief and outrage over the recent overturning of Roe v Wade. My artist friend wondered if there would be exhibition opportunities on this subject.

I don’t know the answer to that question. (Although, generally, there are many exhibits that welcome political commentary artwork.)

But I told my art friend that she should make work that expresses her emotions anyway. I encouraged her to dig deep and find ways to let the things she cares about find voice in her artwork.

Artwork should come from the heart. When an artist is moved, concerned, scared, outraged, or heartbroken about an issue, it just makes sense that those emotions should be incorporated into her artwork in some way.

It’s hard to do.

But it’s worth doing.

(To find relevant images to include in this blog post, I visited my current working pile of scraps. These varied pieces will – I hope – find their way into finished works and contribute to communicating an idea or emotion.)

For all the artmakers: Happy creating
For all the art lovers: Happy appreciating

Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi

bobbi@bobbibaughstudio.com

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