NC Love

Another reason why I love this state:

The Creative Industry in North Carolina accounts for nearly 300,000 jobs, more than 5.5% of the state's workforce!

AND that workforce of 300,000 contributes $41 BILLION to the state's economy!!!

according to Pitt County Arts at Emerge Gallery.

Also, magnolia flowers as big as your face!

Blog Love: Dear Ada

Love, love, love these ceramics by Samantha Robinson, found via Dear Ada. In fact, I love nearly everything on Dear Ada. It's by far my favorite blog. Even though there's such a variety of art and aesthetic styles, most often very different from my own work I find myself loving nearly everything she posts.

Check it out if you haven't already!

Inspiration?

So, as I said before, I'm taking a grad level fibers class this semester. It's an all grad class, and it's a mix of learning techniques, discussion, and eventually making work. I'm enjoying the techniques, but the rest of the class content seems to be a little fluffy, particularly for a grad level class. Last class we were to bring in our "inspiration" for our work. I think my inspiration is pretty obvious when you look at my work, but, ok, I'll take an opportunity to brag about all the cool stuff I have. I don't mind seeing other people's cool stuff either, it's just that I think I'd rather look at the work and discuss the work, especially since we're all at the stage we're at.

A few of us brought collections of objects, our professor brought work, most people, frankly, I think forgot to bring anything. But one student said that she gets her inspiration from looking at other artists. She says she spends hours and hours on the Internet looking at lesson plans (she's Art Ed) and other art. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I certainly like to look at work, and try my best to keep current with the field, but I try not to look too much at other work in the context of my making, for fear I might emulate something too closely. For a while, I was always asked "What other artists are you looking at?" and I usually came up with some artists work which I loved and kinda had a relation to mine, but really in my head and heart, I was thinking "No one. This is my work. Why do I want to let what someone else is doing influence my work? Why can't I let these objects I love inspire me?"

Don't get me wrong, I understand the value and need in looking at other work, I just have an issue with someone making work "inspired" by the work of other artist. Thoughts on this?

At any rate, I think this exercise for class was beneficial for me. I was thinking about what to take (Which rock do I love the most?) and I think I realized why I make large neck pieces as opposed to objects or bracelets or whatever else. I only make brooches and neckpieces. Large neckpieces. I think this is because I love these things I work with so much and what they represent to me, that I literally want to wrap my self in them. Cover myself. Swathe my self in them like a favorite blanket. I love these things and I want them on my person. I want them within reach.

Sorry if that was a bit rambling. Thanks for reading.

Love

Quote of the Week

"Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground."
~Rumi

Love Love

Don't you love it when two of your favorite things come together in an unexpected way? Like this week's podcast of This American Life, featuring an act by Anne Lamott. I seriously just read this essay of hers a few days ago. If you haven't noticed, my past couple quotes have been hers.

And later this week is the This American Life Annual Poultry Slam! Can't wait!

Process Shot of the Week

Wow, these are some truly awful pictures. But I don't care, I effing love these prints. This was Friday night, I've since trimmed them into bleed prints.

Things I Love. . .

Things I love, but sometimes forget about:
- Green Houses
- The K/T Boundary
- Nobody Can Eat 50 Eggs
- Mt. St. Helens
- Zero Bars

Quote of the Week (Valentine's Style)

"Love is where you find it." ~Vonnegut