re: self evaluation questions (gs674)

original post.

 Sophia said:
great variety of line and shape. I don't know how big these pieces are but they would be such an impact if they wee 5 ft by 7 ft. Happy painting.

I replied:

Thanks for the reminder, I added the sizes. Not quite that big, but I don't have the space to work any larger right now. (Plus I'd have to pay someone to help me move them around if they were any bigger, or rig something like Chuck close has. I covet his painting moving machine!!!)  They make a pretty loud statement though. They definitely fill your periphery if you stand in front of them. That's what matters. I don't think making them a little less than twice the size would change the impact enough to make it worth the hassle. I'd rather do them 7x15 feet but I don't think that would fit through my door. All in good time...

 Kathryn said:

believe it, Rutenberg teaches at the Y here in NYC.  I got into his class once (it always fills quik), excellent teacher of all approaches and ya luv his stuff too.

my response:

Jealous!!!!!!! I was going to try to get him as DS, but as I worked through my first few DS, I got further away from him. I will definitely try to track him down next time I'm in Manhattan. (Hoping to get up there for the DeKooning retrospective at MoMA.)

 Maren said: 

WOW, Emily... I think you are going to be a big influence on me.  I want to run screaming from the room.  I grew up in the 60's, got my MFA in '72 at the height of the abstract expressionist influences in art schools.  We were pushed to do anything abstract.  I was NEVER comfortable with it and still am not, but I did try my hand at the ideas bouncing around me.  I am a big fan of Pollock, Rauchenburg, Rothko, Alice Neel...  but I just cannot understand it in the visceral way that you are describing the work.
I am terribly concrete... I see it, I paint it.  I LOVE that.  Looking at your work, I sense the depth and color and value relationships, the textures and drips and shapes thrill me, but I do not see meaning or what you call the "guts of it".  I don't understand the reason for the work.
Here's hoping I come to understand it better through your words and interaction with others who are doing abstract work.  One can always learn!
Maren

Sophia said:

I think what she means is that color play, the movement of the oil on canvas, the impact on the viewer, of line work and the energy created with color is the essence of her work. I hope nailed it Emily!

I responded:

@Sophia, This work is void of oil at this point. Even the printing is water-based. There's a certain "no going back" once the oil comes out. And these all felt finished before I needed to whip out those guns. I had all but abandoned oil until Sarah encouraged the veggie oil clean up instead of turp in mixed media/printmaking. Wet oil on this scale seems like a nightmare and I prefer painting to be dreamy. We'll see what happens this semester as it all culminates. I'm not saying I refuse to add it (oil sticks, etching inks, etc) but I just have to get all the acrylic done  on all 15 paintings first. Once I whip out the oil everything slows down. I can no longer stack the paintings daily (my walls are stacked 25 paintings deep in some places), no more attaching anything, and it's really hard for me to work as slow as oil forces me to. Like I said, I'm not afraid of ruining paintings, but I also trust my guts. And my guts say, "No oil yet."

@Maren

You remind me of a lot of my students. I taught community college continuing ed for several years. The ones with art backgrounds all came to me to loosen up, to have fun and play, and to not be so critical of themselves. It worked, and they kept coming back. Even after I moved away a bunch of them got a studio together and called themselves "The Emily School", which obviously warmed my heart! I still meet with them whenever I go back.

So, the question I must pose to you, isn't thrilling you a noble enough feat?? I thrilled myself making it, and I thrilled you looking at it. As far as I'm concerned, my work here is done... (dusts off hands). You can try to make your work heavy, but try as you might, mine remains light.
You can feel however you want looking at it, but it will still be what it is to me, which is ridiculously fun and curious. I don't want you to think I'm never stuck or frustrated, I don't always know what to do next, but by the time I call it done, I'm pretty self-satisfied.

And to clarify, I said this work is MY guts. The materials are the paintings guts. The reason I do this is I'll die otherwise.

Susan said: 

Emily love your work! I feel the energy in it. I'm transitioning from realism toward abstraction now that I'm in my Directed Studies. It's challenging.

Cheryl's comments:

I read through your self-evaluation twice - it is fascinating and complex, and suits your work.

Much food for thought:

I can relate to this: I really have no clue the way things are connected inside my mind. I have restricted access.
and this: I do want to marry Liquitex green gold (PY129) - but for me it is Gamblin Transparent Indian Yellow...

This is important for all artists to know, so I am re-posting and commenting:

How do you accept new ideas and criticism?

Bring it. I absolutely love criticism of my art, the harsher the better. It makes me eager to defend, break through, and move forward. I have no problem taking or leaving feedback depending on how relevant I think it is. I have very low tolerance for people who can’t hack even the softest of my criticism. I think they are in the wrong field. I’m still honing my tact… As I'm sure you've already picked up that I’m very direct, don’t sugar coat, and sometimes come off a little abrasive. In an online class this is even harder because my delivery in person usually comes with a lot of giggling, open body language, charm, and back and forth discourse that is easier for people to take, which is lost in the anonymity of the web. I haven’t had a single semester here where someone didn’t get bent out of shape due to my feedback. However I’ve taught a ton of continuing ed painting classes and never offended anyone…

comments: The art world thrives on criticism and part of becoming a professional artist is learning how to use criticism to become a stronger artist. Every exhibition and every time your work goes public, you will encounter both positive and negative criticism - in the newspaper, online, and by the audience. It is part of the job of being an artist to listen to the critics who matter to you and use what you need to make the work better.

What are your goals? How do you intend to accomplish them?

UUUUGGGGGh..

Oh, you are going to hate the next assignment, but take it with a grain of salt, and do the best you can...

Do you work realistically or abstractly? Why?

I work abstractly because realism bores me, both to look at and to work on. The closer it is to life the more respect I have for someone else’s patience and the less interest I have in looking at it.

When people don't get my abstract work, I always ask them if they listen to classical music or jazz - which of course is pure abstraction!