I LOVE this picture. Even more, I love what it represents:
Posted on Facebook from the Museum of Art DeLand, it shows our associate curator of education Marisa Ingram and a group from Camp Create (the Museum’s summer art program for kids) in the gallery looking at and thinking about one of the works in my current exhibit. The piece they are looking at is House of Leaves.
I have always been grateful for the months my own daughter spent as a student in Museum of Art DeLand’s summer camps. It opened her eyes to what became a deep love for art and artmaking.
Last week, as I was writing about this exhibit, I mentioned how pleased I was that visitors seem to be engaging with long, thoughtful looks at the works on display. (“Pleased” really isn’t a strong enough word. This makes my artist’s heart pound wildly!)
I believe the artist labels I wrote for each work deepened visitors’ experience with the works. Several readers commented and asked if I would share some of the labels. I’m doing that in tonight’s post.
I know a lot of artists struggle with writing or talking about their work. I encourage every artmaker to tackle this part of being an artist. A good tip, which I learned from another textile artmaker, is to establish the discipline of having a paragraph or two written about each work right after it’s completed. Wherever you store your photos of your artwork, have that document right in the same file. You’ll always have handy the artwork dimensions, year created, price if applicable, materials and methods and – don’t forget this part! – some words about your inspiration or what the work means to you.
I hope you enjoy these three examples from my exhibit.
American Dream Dream 2025 27” x 44”
And All That’s Gone Before 2014 33” x 42”
House of Leaves 2024 59.5” x 74”
. . . . . . . .
For all of us: focus each day on the good
that needs to be done in the world.
Be part of doing it.
Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi
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