Thursday, March 23, 2017

Thursday Thoughts...

“Of course, there will always be those who look only at technique, who ask ‘how’, while others of a more curious nature will ask ‘why’. Personally, I have always preferred inspiration to information.” 

Man Ray

The conundrum of art and explaining it!  I have to own up to being part of the spectrum of people who ask how? and what? I love process; I love understanding how people do things and put together different materials and techniques.  I get onto that journey and wander down that path and really enjoy the enquiry.

On the other hand I am always interested in the story - I want to know the motivation, the notions, the ideas, the expression; why this piece? in this way?  So I think I fall pretty much along the length of the spectrum - fascinated by both the why? and the how?


Showing some of the 'how.'..but oh, the 'why' is so precious here as well...

10 comments:

  1. I love seeing the back of stitched cloth, the marks made without intent, when I was a young hippie living in an old dairy shed with no electrictiy or running water & embroidering by 12 candlelight the back of the work was always a rat's nest of threads, one of the best things I have learned from Jude Hill over at Spirit Cloth is to cut short threads, the other is never put a pin in your mouth but if you do swallow one by accident standing on your head can get it out!

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    1. I agree re the short threads Mo - all the backs were trimmed down to hardly any length...not so sure about the swallowing of pins - the solution sounds intriguing!

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  2. “Understanding the how and why is part of the whole enjoyment of art to me. LOVE that stitching” - Jo Murray

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    1. It's true isn't it Jo? They are a pigeon pair - the how and the why both matter...

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  3. If you don't learn how to do the 'how's then you end up trying to express the 'why's with a limited vocalulary. But if you explore both then one feeds the other

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    1. Oooh I love that notion jam - so perfectly expressed! If we don't practice the how; the why isn't honoured!

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  4. Spookily I have an image like this.... piece I made and love the look of the back. Remind me of gran who always turned my work over to see what the back was like. Sometimes the Why is simple a matter of can't NOT do it, something inside drives the need.

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    1. I love looking at the back of things too Beverley. I u yo are right as well - some things just have to be made, and that is the only why we have!

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  5. Two of my favorite things ... stitched letters and the asemic view of the b-side (with a tip of the hat to Mo who gave me that insight)

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    1. How lovely to keep gathering notions from the comments as we go...asemic writing I love and you are so right about that here Liz - love it!

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.