Dec 11, 2011

Fathers and Daughters

I have some new pieces...with a twist! A few of my artist friends have taken this collaboration to a new level. It all started with Wes Way and his young daughter, they worked on a few mandalas together. This was such a delightful idea, that I decided to expand on it and ask my artist friend, Alexis Iammarino to join the project with her artist father, Richard. I will also be joining with my non-artist father in making a mandala soon! This is adding another dimension of community that I had not considered before. So, thanks Wes, truly, for your art of being a good father, and to all fathers involved for encouraging creativity and independence in your daughters.

On with the show. Wes's daughter is a very young artist, around 2 years of age. Daddy and daughter worked on two pieces, but he was not happy with the first...the separation between the two-the imagery was too vast. So for the second piece (below) they worked together at the same time and in the same space...




I think it looks like the Tree of Life.
Leave it to a two year old to subconsciously pick up that bit of universal, archetypal brilliance.


The next piece is courtesy of Richard and Alexis Iammarino. They are both prolific artists, Alexis works in many mediums, including dance, painting, film and all types of community and participatory arts, and she has quite the extensive journaling and reading practice. Richard Iammarino makes crow-quill pen and silver point drawings, he is also a painter, and a sculpture. The two started working on a piece together and I have images of their first round!



Here is Alexis showing me the piece her father started in pen and ink




This piece promises to be very intricate, I can't wait for them to work on it more, AND I can't wait to start a piece with my dad over winter break from school. Happily, community comes in many forms, my friends!

Nov 22, 2011

Turning the Tables with Elbee

Very insightful! A great new artist interview with Elbee from Tallahassee, Florida y'all!

1. Thinking back, I might have pressured you into it, that being said, what interested you in joining this collaboration?

I'm not easily pressured into doing things I don't want to do, the pressure I felt was more of an artistic, loving nudge from someone who has faith in me, my talents and potentials; things I typically underestimate about myself. What interested me was tapping into that silent side of myself and watching what came to pass!

2. You've described yourself in the past as a "non-artist", but I was wondering what being an "artist" really means to you.

To me, an artist is someone who has, for a better lack of understanding, found their innerchild. When we are children, we are not afraid of our creativity; we shine in it, we thrive in it. When we become adults, that child tends to become muted and hidden and many times locked away forever. A true artist is someone who not only feels that innerchild, but embraces it and reflects it back to the world.

3. Was the artmaking more of an intimidating process for you, or did you enjoy yourself?

As a non-artist, many times the process felt intimidating, usually when I would question how my piece would compare to the other participants. I would find myself wondering if they would ask just what the heck this ridiculous piece of glued items was doing in an art series. However with that being said, I would remind myself to hush and let the art speak for itself.

4. Is there a specific part of this project, beyond your direct involvement, that is interesting to you?

I am very excited to see the series completed, displayed and presented to the art world. I am honored to be a part of such amazing creations.

5. What does the mandala mean to you in your life? Does it apply?

The mandala means a few things to me--it sparked some real creative juices for me so in a sense, it was a rebirth. I have been making collages since the series started and came to the conclusion that even a non-artist can create something thought-provoking and beautiful.

***Now we'll turn the tables, wherein you may also ask me a question. I'll post my answer on the blog with your interview...it can be whatever you want!

What was the most satisfying part of the series? Most frustrating?
Why are you so smart?


...I think the most satisfying part of the series has been getting mail/packages, honestly.  I do enjoy making things work and marrying two divergent styles together. That gives me a certain sense of "thinking" satisfaction. But I really like getting mail. I don't get enough packages or mail that aren't bills, I rarely get presents, and if I do they are usually not wrapped, so I love opening packages! It's more of an inner child response I suppose, but my gut still tells me that I LOVE GETTING MAIL.

If I am smart at all, it is because I have phenomenally intelligent parents and their genes naturally elevated my mediocrity a teensy bit. ;) Thanks for being open and willing to take a chance on this project with me!



Nov 13, 2011

Movable

I have another update from Whitney-Anne Baker. Whitney, much like Heather Gordy, works fast. I am used to holding onto these things for months...but not with Whitney-Anne. She receives it, works on it and sends it...and then lets me know it's sent. My reaction is always akin to, "Oh crap, better get moving!" So, I did send hers out, and she received it again. The mail (or "the post" as Whitney-Anne says) seems to work pretty fast between here and there, which is fantastic. Now onto the show!

Cycle 7, Round 2:

Whitney made the mandala movable! How awesome is that? It looks like she took the mandala, cut out the center, sparingly applied some gold paint, mounted it all on some bright, aqua painted cardboard, and then made it move by clipping it to the back. Genius! I would never, in a million years, think of that, but it seems to be the most natural state for a mandala - changeable.


Whitney-Anne Baker to Shana R. Goetsch
Brixham, Devon, England/UK to Baltimore, MD, USA



Here I am moving it around with the tabs provided. Right now, it reminds me of a compass.


For my round, I again utilized some recyclables. I had been saving the playing card I used (for the red/white portion) for quite a few years. I originally saved it because it has cute little winged creatures on the back. Beyond that, I ripped some of the cloth off of the mandala that Whitney-Anne sent to me. I did this because I knew that the glue she used would leave a nice residue and create another pattern. Then I literally just covered the whole thing in my dirty watercolor water. The remnants of my watercoloring were a nice purpley-red color this time. 


 Shana R. Goetsch to Whitney-Anne Baker 
 Baltimore, MD, USA to Brixham, Devon, England/UK



 Sssshhh, don't tell anyone my watercolor water is that dirty. I am the worst about using actual clean water.


BTW, Whitney-Anne also sent along this postcard which gives us a visual of the town she lives in...

Now we all know about how quaint Brixham is, thanks Whitney-Anne!

Mayans and Crop Circles

I found and watched another film about crop circles. I must admit that this is one of the most fascinating phenomena for me. Our class recently took a trip to the American Visionary Art Museum here in Baltimore to see, "All Things Round", and included in that amazing exhibition were some photos of crop circles as well. I think crop circles are beautiful, very mysterious and exciting. Not so secretly, I'm hoping their creation is due to aliens. Anyway, this film really made a lot of sense to me, judge me if you must, but it really did...

Free on Hulu right now: Mayan Prophecies and Crop Circles

Oct 28, 2011

Tricksters

I had to laugh when I opened the package from Whitney-Anne, just because it was the very antithesis of what I had expected from her. Never underestimate...her note even said she had some tricks up her sleeve. I believe it. Based on her past work, what I expected was something digital, with high color. What I got was paper, fabric and stitching, in a cream on white color scheme!

This brings me to a little anecdote about my philosophy and pedagogy class--it's a class about teaching art in college--we have to design a curriculum for two classes, complete with sources and references, and reading material for them, whatever we want. One book I chose to have as required reading for the students in my class, "Not Your Grandma's Watercolor" (for real, I named the class that) is Chromophobia by David Batchelor. "Chromophobia" is "a fear of corruption or contamination through color". It just makes me laugh when things are so topical and linked together; real life and art life. The Universe is such a trickster.

So needless to say, I'm going to get craaaazy with this, because I ain't afraid of color...watch out Whitney-Anne! This is her stitched canvas and paper piece...

Cycle 7, Round 1



 Whitney-Anne Baker to Shana R. Goetsch
Brixham, Devon, England/UK to Baltimore, MD, USA




I liked the stitching on the back as well as the front, so if I decide to use the back I will have to take a photo of it first (mental note). On to me and what I sent to England, which was something very colorful and simple, it's made of yarn on cardboard! I made quite a few of these during the months of August and September and this is one of them. This was used as a technique in an art workshop I facilitated with the kids and adults at the domestic violence shelter. It's somewhat about concentration and creating order, subconsciously. That aside, I hope Whitney-Anne rips this thing apart!




 Shana R. Goetsch to Whitney-Anne Baker 
 Baltimore, MD, USA to Brixham, Devon, England/UK



Next up, Artist Paula Phillips, also from Baltimore (I'm mixing it up).

Oct 25, 2011

Elemental

Recently, I was invited by my friend Jessica Wyatt to be a guest artist in her GTI class, Elements of Visual Thinking. Jessica is the GTI or Graduate Teaching Intern for one for these classes at MICA. I was graciously welcomed by the professor of the class, Colette Veasey-Cullors and all of the freshman students. The theme of the class was, you guessed it, mandalas!

Jessica and I essentially created a two day curriculum. We utilized the knowledge of one of our MFACA professors, Cinder Hypki, who gave a presentation on the background and symbology of mandala the first day. The second day, after a short, for lack of a better phrase, "artist talk" from me, Jess and I broke the class into pairs/groups. We then asked them to work together to create a finished mandala during class time. This was a workshop that was designed to get them in touch with other ways of working, and a way of managing an archetypal symbol.

Since the mandala is such a broad, universal topic, we really used a "top-down" approach to the lesson. Cinder's presentation revealed the universal - macro to micro - use of the mandala. Jess and I then brought it into the collective realm of this very blog project. We recreated a variation of the Art That Circles The Earth Project, the catch being, that the participants had to decide amongst themselves, HOW to work together.




Many of the students worked in tandem on the mandala, but several pairs took a different approach by taking turns, working on the collective mandala piece separately. Two of the students were quite radical, in that they used coding for the project. They created code on their computers for sound and the mandala. Their manner of working was interesting to me, in that they sat right next to each other, and worked on separate parts of the whole, while focusing almost exclusively on their respective computers. Their efforts came together well for their critique, in the form of a participatory piece, which we all had a hand in.

Since I consider the mandalas more of a "sacred space" and we really wanted them to inevitably create personal art, their assignment (working on a personal mandala piece) was not critiqued, but the group work was. After the collaborative mandala critique, one of the students rightly noted that it was difficult to critique the collaborative pieces, which I completely understood.

But this lesson was really to make them understand that artmaking, critique, being an artist, might take many different forms throughout their career. Their role as artist may be expanded, or conversely, contracted, depending on the manner in which they work, the challenges they meet, or their own intent for each piece of art. So, we presented them with a challenge or two, and they made it through their collaborations with flying colors, and not much grumbling.

Some of their personal work was shown, but the students were not pushed to show it or speak about it. Everything was voluntary as far as their personal mandala assignment was concerned. I am glad that many still took this assignment to heart, even though they were not obligated to speak about it or expected to share it with the class. My time with them showed me that they are willing to try new things, are thoughtful about their artmaking, and really "got" the idea of "personal art" through these explorations with the mandala.

More photos of the students working together in class are below...




FOOD!













The mandala that Jess and I made together...





On the day of the critique there were a few unique surprises. A piece that glowed...



And a piece that was generated by participants...





Although this is a screen capture (below), it does not, in fact, "capture" what was going on here, nor the movement of the whole when it was finished. Both of these pieces, along with an audio piece generated from the sounds of us all talking in the workshop session, were very transitory. They existed only under certain conditions; in the dark, or upon audience participation. 




"The idea of mandala seems extraordinarily abstract. We see it as a metaphysical or philosophical principle. We cannot learn anything about it unless we see how the mandala principle is connected with a learning process or a practicing process. The Sanksrit word mandala literally means “association” or “society.” The Tibetan word khilkhor means “center and fringe.” Mandala is a way of looking at situations in terms of relativity: if that exists, this exists. If this exists, that exists."   
-“The Razor’s Edge,” in Orderly Chaos: The Mandala Principle, Chogyan Trungpa


Thanks again to Jessica, Colette and the students in "Elements" for letting me share the mandala with you, it has really informed my own thought process regarding my ensuing thesis work, as well.

Oct 18, 2011

Strength

Did I ever tell you that I've known Elbee since I was 14 and we were both very silly and little and got into a lot of silly little trouble? Well, I have, and she's been very kind to me over the years; one time, she even took a spirit possession for me (! for reals). She's still one of the strongest and wisest and oddest people I know. Also, she made this mandala with me... :) I think this piece speaks to all of her aforementioned qualities. This has the weirdest "ingredient" list of any of the mandalas so far: a bubble wrap envelope, watercolor paint, coffee, an unused heating filter, acrylic paint, random plastic objects, metal, lace and wood (and a little something pink, because that's just who Elbee is). Whew. You can view the entire process here, and then the finished piece is at the end. YAY!

Cycle 4, Round 4:


Shana R. Goetsch to Elbee
Milwaukee, WI to Tallahassee, FL




Elbee to Shana R. Goetsch
Tallahassee, FL to Milwaukee, WI




Shana R. Goetsch to Elbee
Baltimore, MD to Tallahassee, FL  




Elbee and Shana R. Goetsch
Mandala completed in Tallahassee, FL




Oct 10, 2011

Boomerang

I have just finished the piece between Momo Luna and me! This one is bright and glossy and pretty, specifically, it reminds me of candy mints. To finish this piece, I did a little painting and a small amount of printmaking. There were a few objects on this piece in the last round, which I removed and then printed directly on the paper in the spot where they were originally (they are the aqua spirals). I also put a light wash over the pieces, creating less of a white background for the faces. Then I painted some solid colors in designated areas, and added some bright red strips along the edges. I struggled a bit with resolving this piece, but I think it's really "there" now.

Now, let's take a trip down memory lane for the completion of this mandala, Cycle 5, Round 4...



 Moma Luna to Shana R. Goetsch
Arnhem, Gelderland, Holland to Milwaukee, WI, USA




Shana R. Goetsch to Moma Luna
Baltimore, MD, USA to Arnhem, Gelderland, Holland




Moma Luna to Shana R. Goetsch
Arnhem, Gelderland, Holland to Baltimore, MD, USA



 Shana R. Goetsch and Momo Luna
Mandala completed in Baltimore, MD, USA




It was great working with Momo Luna on this piece, and it still retains her distinct flavor, despite my working on it as well. Good show! I'll have another post in the works soon, because I have just received Elbee's last round in the mail today!


Oct 6, 2011

Over Land and Over Sea

Please help me welcome our newest contributor, artist Whitney-Anne Baker! Whitney-Anne is from Devon, United Kingdom. I must admit that I had to go look up exactly where that was. Now we all know. As you may have guessed, I know Whitney-Anne through the blogging world. She has two of her own blogs, Whitney's Weird Stuff and What Whitney Made Next. She also has a few thriving Etsy shops, Every Girl's Story and Scribble Domain which has THE COOLEST THINGS EVER. I'm sorry for shouting, but I think it's true, and that she should make these designs into wallpaper....so that I can hang them on my wall. Whitney-Anne seems to be versed in a lot of different media as well as digital, She sent along images of some paper pieces, which she described as being in her "old style".


 
 Paper Experiment No.1
Whitney-Anne Baker




 Paper Experiment No. 2
Whitney-Anne Baker


In her own words, "I began making art about 15 years ago although I had always made things as a child ( lego, lots of lego ). Over the years I have tried lots of different things; hand-made paper, artist's books, textiles, collage, abstract art, experimenting with as many different techniques and mediums as  I could. Being self taught gave me a lot of freedom! I loved it all but Photoshop is where everything came together for me. For my digital pieces I take lots of photographs, scan in found images and text, cut out shapes, use papers that I've painted to create texture, scribble with the mouse and generally mash it all up."



While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Whitney-Anne Baker




Blue Collage 2
Whitney-Anne Baker



I really relate to this statement, especially the last little bit of it, "and generally mash it all up". I used to be more of a purist, in terms of technique and use of media, but over the years I've grown to really love mixed media work, and now couldn't imagine myself not mashing it all up!

I'm very excited about working with another artist outside of the United States. I'm hoping that Whitney is able to incorporate her digital imagery into this somehow. I may need help if it's on a digital file, but it's been far too long a time since I have said I wanted to learn how to use my Photoshop. The program is just sitting here on my computer, its power only used for re-sizing images and the most menial of tasks...maybe we'll get a work out, who knows!

In the meantime, Whitney and I are both mailing our first rounds this weekend/Monday-ish. I know that it might take a few weeks for them to arrive in the mail since they are going overseas and that stuff can be expensive to mail, shoot y'all....but please check back to see the results!


Sep 30, 2011

Oh, Universe...

You and me, we are so 'right on'...



This is a photo of the ceiling of my home studio. It was like this when I first saw the place, but I must admit I paid little attention to it until I actually moved in and looked up. How perfect is that, especially for my studio?

Turning the Tables, with Wes Way

I recently conducted my first ATCTE interview with one of our very first artists, Wes Way. You'll notice at the end that I had him turn the interview around on me and he was able to ask me a question. This concept was not without its hitches. There was a misunderstanding about this between us which I will include below. The interview starts now!

1. Wes, what is your background in artmaking and in what manner do you normally work?

I've always made art. I've always been interested in art. I taught myself to draw when I was little, copying the comics from the daily paper. My family was poor and art supplies were out of reach, so I drew on brown paper grocery bags. We had a Norman Rockwell coffee-table book which I studied, marveling at Rockwell's realism. I did well in art classes through high school and was accepted into the art program at Virginia Commonwealth University. During my first semester at VCU, I began to question whether a formal art education was what I wanted. I decided that I would rather be self-taught and withdrew from classes. I think this might have slowed my development as an artist somewhat, but I've never doubted that it was the right decision for me. I spent a decade or so having chemical adventures and that probably didn't help, but since I got straight, it's been all progress.
     
I've worked sporadically over the years, sometimes banging out lots of art, sometimes doing very little. I'm also a musician and sometimes I focus more on the music than the visual art. In recent years, I've become much more confident in my art.
     
Most of what I've done over the years has been collage. In the past year, I've opened out and now use any media that comes to hand or seems most appropriate to whatever I'm working on.

2. If you can, take us back to the time when we started, what interested you about joining this collaboration? 

At that point, I hadn't been working on art much. I was really focused on the music and on my daughter. I wanted to get back into the art and saw this collaboration as a challenge. I try to occasionally take on something that will force me out of my comfort zone.

3. How was the experience for you, working with another visual artist, versus working with other musicians?

I wasn't really ready to do this project. I thought I'd be able to jump right into it, but it didn't work out that way. It was really hard to work on the mandala. I see now that I thought it would be easy, that I'd be able to just jump right into a collaborative project. I'd been doing music almost exclusively for a few years and had reached a point where I could just plug and improvise with other musicians easily, whether I'd ever played with them or not. So, I expected it would be like that. The reality was that I wasn't really able to get my brain around it. Months would go by and then I'd suddenly have an idea and then I'd have to carve a few hours out of my schedule to execute it. Since we finished the mandala, I've been doing more and more visual art and have put the music on hold. It would be very different if we did a mandala now.
     
The difference between working with an artist and improvising with another musician is that art happens in space and music happens in time. With art, you're there alone, thinking, daydreaming, making marks, erasing, painting over, musing, dozing off, drinking coffee...it's a slow, contemplative process. Music is instant. You can't go back and paint over a sloppy chord change. It's done and all you can do is go on.
    
I switch back and forth from art to music, but they're really totally different worlds. I don't want to give the false impression that I switch back and forth easily. There's usually some awkwardness. The mandala was part of that awkwardness. I'm glad I did it because it helped me get from where I was to where I am, but I think I'd do better if we did another.

4. I know that you recently expanded on the concept of these collaborations to include working on a new mandala with your young daughter, can you tell us about that artmaking experience, and what it meant to you, both as an artist and a father?

My kid is awesome. I'm so glad I get to do stuff with her.

I proposed the idea of me doing a mandala with her as an offhand comment. Then it started to seem like a great idea. I didn't explain the project to her - she's two-and-a-half - I just asked her if she wanted to make a picture with paint. She did, so I put some paper on the easel and gave her a brush. I drew a circle on the paper and coached her a little, but I don't think that compromises her input. Guidance and instruction are appropriate at this point. She covered much more of the surface with this piece than she usually does. I think the fact that I was making suggestions made her get more into it. She really likes interacting and doing things with another person right now. Maybe I should give her more guidance and instruction....I'm figuring parenting out as I go. Of course, I think my kid is an amazing artist right now and of course, I have some hope that she'll be interested in the things I'm interested in. I really love her paintings and when she smacks the strings of a guitar to hear the sound, I think "She'll be a musician like her old man", but I'm really conscious of all that and try to encourage her to follow any and all interests. She's also really into baseball right now. I've never been into sports, but I think it could be really fun to coach a girls' baseball team in a couple years if that's what she's into.
     
I haven't sat down with her painting to do my part yet.

5. What does the mandala mean to you?
          
I think I know what my part will be. Actually, I know exactly what my part will be, I just have to do it. I'm going to go over her big colorful blobs and smears with a really fine, black line, traditional Hindu mandala design, a Kali mandala. I'm really interested in the images of female deities right now. I'm doing yonis, crones, goddesses. Kali is usually misunderstood in the West, as a destructive force. She can be that, but she's also a maternal figure. She's a strict mother who doesn't put up with any crap. If you're doing something that prevents you from growing or developing, something that hinders you, she will take it away from you. That can seem awful and painful and in that scenario, Kali will seem like a big, ugly, black daemon with a lot of arms destroying you, but it's for your own good. As a student of mythology, I appreciate that and as an old punk, I really dig the Kali imagery, with the necklace of skulls, skirt of severed arms, dripping blood, all that fun, gory stuff. It's raw and ugly and visceral and that's necessary - if your religion is going to be at all helpful, it's going to have to have those elements, to enable you to make it through the really nasty things that can and will happen to you as you struggle through your life.
     
So, I'm going to put that element on top of the bright, colorful, spontaneous smears my daughter did. My girl is a bouncy, squealing little blue-eyed blonde. She charges right into situations, wide-open, knowing everything is going to be okay. She'll climb up on something and jump off, assuming I'll be there to catch her. So far, I have been. I love juxtaposing opposites, especially when they only seem to be opposites. The scary, old, wicked witch and the sweet, innocent, young girl are two aspects of the goddess, just as winter and spring are aspects of the year - and that is exactly what they represent. So they go together. My role in this is that of some creepy old trickster - Coyote or Raven or Loki - jamming these things together in a way that hopefully looks skewed or somehow off, but has internal logic and makes sense below the surface.
    
     
***Now we'll turn the table, wherein you may also ask me a question. I'll post my answer on the blog with your interview...it can be whatever you want!

I have no idea. I don't question art. Or artists. Show me a piece of art and I accept it exactly as it is. If it's got a paint-splattered goat or a dead shark in it, I might love it (R.R.) or hate it (D.H.), but I don't need to analyze it. I don't mean that art doesn't cause me to think about things - it does, but that happens in a slow, gradual, free-association sorta way. I might be staring at a piece that's been on my wall for years and notice something or have a thought that I never had before. I was at my mom's house the other day, looking at a Rockwell print and saw something that struck me. Some tiny detail. I love that art can do that, that a piece of art can grow and change with you. I also think art is totally subjective. It doesn't matter at all to me what Pollack thought of "Lavender Mist" or what Warhol was feeling when he did the Campbell's soup cans. It's the same with my own art - I don't consider myself the authority on what any of my pieces mean, if they mean anything at all. It just is.

I guess I assume, possibly incorrectly, that other artists work the way I do - that they have some kind of idea and start following through on it and later on figure out what it's about. Maybe a formal education causes people to know what they're doing. I don't know.
Anyway, I don't know what to ask. I definitely love the mandala project.

This is the email string:
  
 On Mon, Sep 26, 2011 at 9:52 AM, Shana Goetsch <shanagoetsch@yahoo.com> wrote:

hey, everything looks REALLY good with the interview....but i think you misunderstood my reasoning for having you ask a question of me at the end....1. i was trying to put a spin on the typical artist interview, and i tentatively pre-named the interviewing posts "Turning the Tables", as in you turn the interview on me at the end (it's all circular) 2. it's a community-building exercise, wherein people learn a little bit about our relationship from the question/interview.

so, i can definitely post it as is, but maybe you want to ask me something that is non-art/mandala related? it was just meant to be a fun thing because there are artist interviews up the whazoo on the net, so I was trying to differentiate a bit. just think about it and get back to me.
coolcoolcool,
-shana
From: Wes Way
To: Shana Goetsch

well, okay then, but since it's a conversation, you should include my misunderstanding, your clarification and my question which is.... 
Does the gender/race/identity of the artist matter?
Should it?

(Shana's answer) 
Ah, in a perfect world, no it should not. Unfortunately or fortunately--I'm sort of on the fence about that--right now, artists, humans, I don't think we have reached the point where labels do not matter or happen. I know that you and I have spoken about this several times before, in reference to typically "feminine" subject matter being rendered by male artists. In relation to this, I can see it both ways. A part of me, as a female, with the body parts in question, wants a man to tread lightly, or at least be knowledgeable enough to explain his intent when depicting female imagery (I'm really talking about bodies, or body parts). I also know that I find women to be much more aesthetically pleasing, so I can't say that I blame anyone for recognizing that.

No it shouldn't matter, but it still does....and I really think that that comes down to the fact that there are still insensitive douchebags all over the place, who like to exploit other groups of people. Knowingly or unknowingly, it happens all the time, still. One, single d-bag has the capacity to ruin everything for everyone. 

So my sticking point then has to be: What is the intent of the artist, and how transparent is that intent to their audience? I can rarely fault someone for anything when I can see that their intent is honest and transparent, and open, regardless of their message. When dealing with issues of gender, race or class, having knowledge, experience and transparency really are the best options. And as an artist who is continually struggling with the creation of strong, social justice/issue-based art, I am really just trying not to be one of the aforementioned douchebags.

Of course I am taking the context of your question in entirely one way, is that what you meant, by "matter"? My answer was really contingent upon me thinking of this in relation to an emotionally charged piece of issue-based, or political art. I guess if the art has nothing to say about anything...then, no it doesn't matter who or what the artist is; "silent" art is boring art. There's no controversy over who made it, at the very least. Art that says something, that's another story, depending on who it's talking about, and who's receiving the message. In those cases, it might matter very much who the artist is, identity-wise, and it might be a very warranted response.



*Please leave a comment - feel free to jump right into this discussion...

Sep 24, 2011

Born

I don't think I posted the beginning to end of this cycle! I believe I promised it in the summer, and never followed through. I apologize for the huge oversight. But at least we can get to know Wes' work again before I post a new feature on the blog for this project, it's a little something I'm going to call "Turning the Tables" which will be featured artist interviews. In the future the format of these interviews may morph a bit, but Wes and Elbee's interviews will be in written form, just to kick things off. Look for that coming to this blog very very soon!

In the meantime, I have the whole of Cycle 1 for you here, so you can see how it changed throughout the year. This is actually my personal favorite piece so far, and it was the first. I like the energy of this mandala and I think the two of us worked really well together. It was the basis for expanding the project, and I'm really happy that the collaboration happened at all. Wes and I actually met on myspace,  and we kept up a correspondence through email after I later abandoned it for facebook. I have since met Wes in person several times, co-exhibited with him in Virginia, and he actually helped me move into my Baltimore apartment. He carried all the heavy stuff, but beyond that, he really is one of the coolest people I have ever met. I am honored to have shared the creation of this first piece with him...



Shana R. Goetsch to Wes Way
Milwaukee, WI to Harrisonburg, VA





Wes Way to Shana R. Goetsch 
Harrisonburg, VA to Milwaukee, WI





Shana R. Goetsch to Wes Way
Milwaukee, WI to Harrisonburg, VA




Wes Way and Shana R. Goetsch 
Mandala completed in Harrisonburg, Virginia


Remember to stay tuned for the new, "Turning the Tables" interview feature!

Sep 17, 2011

Seeking Collaborative Artists

If you an artist (or a non-artist) interested in working on this project with me (or with someone else-why not?), please let me know. You'll have at least one guaranteed exhibit at MICA in Baltimore, being that this will be my thesis project for this year.

If you want in on this, please let me know: shanagoetsch@yahoo.com (or my profile on blogger will just link you directly to my email too) I'm very excited for a new year!

Sep 15, 2011

The Sixth Cycle

Well, I feel as if we're chugging right along. I have the update here between Brian and me and I was very excited to get this package, as I am with all packages. I'm always at school when I get the mail, so I'm opening them in front of others to triumphant and impressive effect. I should mention before I start the unveiling, that Brian and Momo Luna always send nice little notes and cards and brochures (!) These two are the fanciest, I always feel as if I'm completely lame and disheveled in comparison. Especially after I know I just sent something with no extra bling, and it's way too late to remedy my lack of it. So I'll have to say now, I really appreciate and am thoroughly impressed by the bling. I'll just have to strive to be more motivated...and get more print material. Speaking of, I'll have to make new postcards for the ATCTE project too.

Now on to the show. If you'll remember, I presented Brian with a bunch of recyclables, all stuck together. And he presented me with a very nice primed canvas with a geometric pattern. Well, here's what happened next! Brian painted over the corrugated material very neatly and applied a similar element, tiny outlined circles, which corresponds to our other piece...continuity! With the piece I worked on this round, I also used acrylics, and created more of a loose wash rather than a thick coat. Some of the colors I used blended with what he used originally, creating new colors and shades. Right now, these two are the antithesis of each other, while still retaining a semblance of unity; mine being a chaotic well of a whirlpool, his being very orderly, crisp and business-like.

This round was fun, wanna see the photos?...

Cycle 6, Round 2:




Brian Sylvester to Shana R. Goetsch
Somerville, MA to Baltimore, MD







Shana R. Goetsch to Brian Sylvester
Baltimore, MD to Somerville, MA




ETA: I also just noticed that we chose the same color palette this round. It is really, very strange that this keeps happening unknowingly between many of us, especially since it's not always the same color palette. Very interesting.



Aug 30, 2011

So This Is My Plan...

....make more mandalas.

No but seriously, I have decided to devote my energy this year, for the second year of my visual thesis to the ATCTE project. Not only have I felt that I have neglected it, and everyone for a year, but I really need a break from the domestic violence heaviness that I was so focused on last year. So here's what's going to happen....A COMMUNITY BONANZA!

I've been thinking of some new ideas for the project, in terms of promotion and exhibition and highlighting some of the existing artists (you guys!) as well as adding some new artists to the fold. My drive is to work with community, and it occurred to me that this is a community. You're all a part of my online community, as well as being a community of artists, and friends. I was thinking of highlighting some of you in artist interviews, but I would like your input! This is a chance for me to, in essence, work for you this year. How do you want to be seen? Where? What types of venues? What state (or country)? How can I help you, as an artist in this project? I am willing to travel, and curate this thing all over the place. Let me know! I would at least like all of the existing pieces to be included in my final thesis show, which will be in May. I will be sending you all information about that soon enough, but I am very excited for the near (and far) future!

And without further adieu, I finished my last round with the piece that Elbee started... I actually incorporated the paper that D. Garzelloni used to wrap my last package from her. So thanks D., it's now in the background of this one!

Conception to birth, plus the finished piece, Cycle 4, Round 4



Elbee to Shana R. Goetsch
Tallahassee, FL to Milwaukee, WI





  Shana R. Goetsch to Elbee
Milwaukee, WI to Tallahassee, FL




 Elbee to Shana R. Goetsch
Tallahassee, FL to Baltimore, MD









Shana R. Goetsch and Elbee
Mandala completed in Baltimore MD


woohoo!