A little gathering in Austin

I’ve recently returned from the annual SAMA (Society of American Mosaic Artists) Conference in Austin, Texas. Cool town, that Austin. More like Boulder or Madison- progressive and full of culture and laid back-ness. This annual event is always different; it varies because of the locale (ie:San Diego in 2009, Chicago 2010) and because of the participants who travel from across the nation and across the globe. For artists and enthusiasts, inspiration can be found in the MAI Exhibition (this year at the Mexican American Cultural Center), the many workshop offerings over a three day period (Guilio Menossi, Ilana Shafir, Pamela Irving, and Gary Drostle just to name a few..) and the presentations. This year the Keynote Speaker was Pamela Irving, who gave a refreshing look into her projects, her process and the development of her visual vocabulary. I think her honestly and lack of pretension was embraced by the SAMA audience.

There were several other notable presentations, particularly a screening a film about artist El Anatsui, who is catagorized as a “found object artist”. Thanks to Rhonda Heisler for introducing him to the mosaic arts community, who seemed to connect to his process. British Artist Gary Drostle told the story of the creation of his “River of Life” commission at the University of Iowa; a commission plagued by volcanoes, studio fires, and installation challenges. A beautiful work. Sophie Drouin introduced many uninitiated into the world of “Dalle de Verre” – a way working with thick, slab glass. Sherri Warner Hunter lead a panel on Community Built Mosaics with Chicago artist Tracy Van Duinen and New Orleans based artist Laurel True. Tracy’s Bricolage mural with Chicago’s American Indian Community and Laurel True’s incredible work with children in Haiti were featured and left the audience moved and grateful for their work in these communities. The last panel was a discussion called” Defining Mosaic Art- Who Cares, and Why?”. The majority of the panelists did not care to define anything , and aside from Jean Ann Dabb’s terrific introduction referring to the historic timeline of the word ‘mosaic’- the majority of the panelists seemed more interested in discussing marketing for artists versus discussion  about why people who identify themselves as mosaic artists gather in the same room. It was certainly a topic of conversation after the conference. Advice is like cooking- you should try it first before you feed it to others.

I led a series of gallery talks at the MAI Exhibition (work above by Andryea Natkin) over a period of 3 days. There were anywhere from 20 to 50 people gathering to look at the works, discuss them critically, and to ask questions about the exhibition, the jurying process and the individual artists. Talking about work honestly, not being afraid to say you like or don’t like the work – and more importantly, why, was a new experience to many. I think that in general, the public is too  shy or embarrassed to say they don’t understand a work of art. The MAI talks gave everyone a safe forum to look and listen and contribute, and the participants engaged in lively and conversation about the show.

And the multitudes of volunteers who make a massive undertaking like a SAMA Conference possible have to be acknowledged. particularly the Austin Mosaic Guild. The AMG made their presence known to visitors as soon as they disembarked form their airplanes at the airport- there was great display of small works by members of the guild throughout the concourse. Karin Gerstinhaber and Deborah Immel were the Austin SAMA co-chairs that made this conference ‘like butter’.

And a shout out to two Uber-humans, Dawnmarie Zimmerman and Chris Forillo, who I love and respect dearly- not just for all the work they do, or the passion they have for SAMA, but because they are two of my favorite people on the planet. SAMA would not be SAMA without these two, who have these conferences down to an art form.

I will be following up soon with a review of the MAI Exhibition.

Does Art speak louder than words?

I am perplexed by the segment of artists, art critics and art collectors who rely on words to shore up or justify the complexity of a piece of visual art. Art is communication; it is something that can tell a story, spark a memory, or create an association that will take the viewer to another place. Sometimes it is not easy or simple to know what we are looking at- it is our own discovery of that work (appealing or not) that enriches our senses.

As an artist and curator, I believe that work should be compelling visually, but must also be compelling conceptually. I don’t want to see an artists statement that explains the artists’ intention -the work should stand on its own merit visually. It is at this point where muddled ideas attempt to excuse dull execution. An idea that surpasses the training and skills that enhance an artists vocabulary is neither a successful work of art or a fully conceived idea. One must marry the two. I don’t buy the bullshit excuse from neo-conceptualists that art students should spend more time talking about ideas than creating artwork – it perpetuates the ‘cult of the ego-artist’. In some ways, conceptual art is an excuse for artistic laziness driven by shock value. It is a decades old faux-rebellion against the commerce and object driven art world – a world that the rebels ache to be a part of!

The beauty of all art is that it ultimately is in the eye of the beholder. I do not want to be told to think about something when nothing is there. Send me a postcard, an email. That is a sow’s ear not a silk purse. I don’t want you to explain what happens at the end of the film before I see it for myself-it is about discovery. The experience of seeing a sculpture or painting or mosaic is mine to explore and discover with my eyes and mind. I don’t want to read the philosophical musings of an unfinished idea – I want to see something that I can muse about. When we put our work out there. it no longer belongs to us.. it belongs to those who take it in. When viewers have to rely on a foundation of artistic statements to justify a work it becomes a weak excuse for poorly executed ideas.

Here is a wonderful essay /rant by British writer Chris Sharratt published on Axisweb on this subject:

Listening.

I hear these rocks
So full of stories
Carved and etched and
blown open
Like me.

Mountains violent birth
The long persistent erosion
The beautied evidence
of transformation.

You’ll see.

Shadows

Jane R. Perlman 1911-2010
From her Eulegy, June 6, 2010

“My grandmother, Jane, was the most poised, elegant and graceful woman I have ever known. Much will be said of her accomplishments and generosity, but I want to speak of her as the woman and mother she was to our family.

She was fiercely independent and had a “pull yourself by your bootstraps” attitude. She passed on to us a sense of purpose and determination and demonstrated absolute perseverance. She was a quiet force, a gentle woman with an iron will.

She would not be pleased that we would be admiring her and singing her praises- she was humble and modest and would deflect attention from herself to other things. Her quiet power and femininity have inspired all who knew her- especially the women in this family.

She influenced and encouraged my late Aunt Joanie, my mother, Midge, and I to pursue endeavors that would benefit our community and set an example of generosity for our children.

I am so grateful she was in my life and the lives of my children for so long. She will live on in all of us.

You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile that she had lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
or you can be full of the love that you shared.
Do what she would want: Smile, open your eyes, love and
go on……”

xxoo

K

Let go.

You epitomize grace and independence. You have persevered through tragedy and heartbreak and lived your life giving to others. You have shown me how a purposeful life can give you strength and longevity.

I love you more now than I have ever in all my life.

Let go, now. It is ok. You will live in your children and in every soul you touched and transformed through your generosity and love.

Let go. Rest.

The twist that took a turn.

It was three years ago almost to the day that I was nominated and elected to serve as President of the Society of American Mosaic Artists. This was not anywhere on my career trajectory- I was quite content with my life as a studio artist, doing what I am trained to do- that “art” thing.

But in 2007, the organization that I care about deeply was hit with several difficult issues, and change was on the horizon. I am proud of the course the organization is taking and the friends I have made along the way. Here is my last Presidents letter I wrote for the Spring 2010 issue of Groutline, Vol.11, Number 2:

It is winter in Chicago as I write this letter, my last as President of SAMA. I am amazed that almost three years have passed since I signed on to head our organization. I wasn’t sure how to “do President” or what kind of leadership I could bring to this fast growing and demanding group of artists and enthusiasts, but I knew that all of us share a passion for Mosaic Arts. I found my footing in no small part due to unanimous support of the members of the SAMA Board, my friend and Executive Director Dawnmarie Zimmerman, as well as the encouragement of countless SAMA friends and colleagues. It has been an incredible experience, sacrifice and honor for me to represent SAMA over these last few years but I would not trade my experience for anything.

Since 2007, we have almost doubled our membership, modernized our website and registration, expanded our quarterly magazine, Groutline, increased our educational opportunities with scholarships and programs at conferences, and developed alliances with international mosaic organizations, schools and universities. SAMA is just 10 years young and, it continues to grow and flourish. The SAMA community inspires me; I watch excitedly as I see countless artists in all stages of their careers. We artists are working in different styles and materials, creating work large and small, coming together from all over the globe to form an exciting, innovative creative community.

SAMA has been a source of inspiration, innovation and offers countless opportunities for creative development. SAMA will continue to transform and evolve to meet the needs of our diverse membership as we approach our second decade. I hope you will join me in ensuring the legacy of SAMA by donating to our Legacy Campaign, by attending next year’s conference in Austin Texas, or by volunteering your time and talents to a committee or by serving on the board. It is way to connect, a way to serve, and way to belong to something that serves the greater good of the contemporary Mosaic Arts movement.

As artists that work in small spaces alone, or isolated communities, SAMA gives us a place to belong. “We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.”(D.Day-1887-1980)

With love.
Karen Ami

For love or for money.

I was discussing the state of art schools with an ‘elder’, established Chicago sculptor recently. He is often asked to come to various schools to give a lecture about his work and his process. He said that in recent years, students are less interested in discussing the work and more interested to know how to get into galleries- how to sell it. I agree that there is generally far too little interest in the “meat” of creating the art and more interest in the commerce of art.

Making a living from art is really damn hard! It’s maybe not as difficult as being a poet (hehehe) but even the most successful visual artists supplement their incomes via other means. That might be teaching or doing something else in an art related field. Some may have patrons that “sponsor” their work, or give them stipends to work complete a body of work. But thats rare.

That is not to say that artists should not be interested in selling work. Bah! Of course it’s fantastic when art sells. I think that for emerging artists it is so much more important to keep commerce and art making separate. Time spent marketing half baked work could be better spent experimenting and developing perspective in the studio.

Over the years, I have compartmentalized my work. I have commission work, where the client hires me to do something specific. Then there is the work I do, because I have to do it , see it, work through it. That work I make and I may or may not show, may or may not sell. It is made because it needs to emerge from within, so I can see it. I do not want the pressure in my head when I am starting a piece -‘ooh, this better be good because I have to sell it to pay my rent’. I would rather be flipping burgers at the local greasy spoon.

When one looks at art, you can feel if the artist is trying to ‘please the market’ or if it is made with a different motivation. Much non commercial work makes many viewers uncomfortable- it is made to provoke or to ponder.

Who are you trying to please with your work? Do you want approval of your peers? Do you want to make a living from hashing out 10 paintings a year? But what motivates an artist to create? I believe that intent changes everything. The approach to creating, the point of view of the work, and drive behind it.

Critiques Pt.2

Part of my imput to a discussion on FB called What’s Up with Fine Art Mosaic:

Why call a critique something it’s not- does it soften the blow? Will it make an artist more receptive to hear feedback if it is called a ‘review’ or ‘constructive evaluation’ ? I think not.

If one wants to be a part of the professional arts field, you are going to have to play with the big boys, which means putting your work out there. Exhibiting artists cannot control who reviews or critiques their work; growing a thicker skin; being open to all kinds of points of view can be extraordinarily helpful to an artist. You can take what you need and discard the rest. If the public sees something in your work that you don’t, would you care? I do. I am always interested in knowing if I am telling my story clearly. I have often become enlightened seeing my work through others’ eyes. It helps me discover more about my work and my process.

As we began discussing here, many artists are coming to mosaics first, then they study the rules of art. One of the most important skills and concepts for an art student is to learn how to look at and talk about work, including your own. This can be tough at first- especially if ALL anyone has ever told you about your work is that it is nice, or pretty colors, or oooh, I love that smalti. Hearing that the composition may or may not work and why – this can help move you FORWARD. Can you separate yourself from your work (its not personal-its business)? That is NOT to say art is impersonal- I would be the last to say that.

Detaching oneself from the work to analyze what occurred during the process of creating it may help the artist become more aware of the aesthetic decisions that may have been made unconsciously in the studio.

At CMS, we have learned that many artists are not ready and may never be open to hearing what others see in their work. This is why we organized the critical panel for the SAMA Conference. Accepted artists could ‘opt in’ for the critique. Less than 1/3 accepted. The panel consisted of 3 art professors, all familiar with mosaic. They had completely different perspectives, which was the point. It was not dissimilar to any jury panel (you never know what you are going to get with any combination). The three panelists gave their perspectives on the work; impressions on compositions, color, perspective and titles. It was very gentle yet constructive- it allowed the audience to hear viewpoints and see things in the selected works they may not have agreed with or thought about. It was instructional and a great introduction to a critique. I heard afterwards many artists were furious the panelists had “attacked” certain works and there was a lot of discussion afterwards. There is the victory. The audience was talking about art in a new way- does it matter if they were mad? No, not if they could explain why they disagreed- which was new for many of the artists in the audience.

SAMA is taking the critique approach slowly. Next year SAMA will do this again, reaching a little deeper into aesthetic debate and discussion. Yes there are guidelines to participating in critiques, and it is something many are yearning to learn. The best way to start is with a few artists in a studio, a bottle of wine, a little cheese, and an open mind. Critiques are best served in person, live, among peers that you trust and respect. It can be direct route to artistic growth not only for you, but for the others that participate

Those that can, do.

This one goes out to the generous and selfless hearts that make up the board of The Society of American Mosaic Artists. This remarkable group of people volunteer to create opportunities for others. They give their time to a dream for the community instead of just themselves. Their service and generosity is kind and compassionate.

I am honored to be among this group that sees the power of serving the greater good. Thank you for the work you do the rest of the year, in the quiet of your offices, building the mosaic community without accolades.

It is this kind of service that inspires others to act and participate in the world. We can make a difference.

Just try it.

“And in the end, the love we take will be equal to the love we make.” -from “The End” by The Beatles

Verdiano Marzi

Lots of folks being called masters of mosaic these days. I have finally met one. Humble, profound, passionate as well as a giving teacher, V.Marzi is a true contemporary mosaic master.

Here lies a purity of expression, unencumbered by arrogance or pretension; creations that exude love for expression through material. His works evoke a pleasing simplicity with the first impression, inviting the viewer to come closer and look within.

In recent years, I have rarely been moved by visual art. I have appreciated certain works indeed, but none have struck me in my heart. I thought it was because I had become hardened by looking at art, jaded by age, and had become emotionally distant looking at contemporary work in general.

When I saw Verdiano Marzi’s “Icaro”, I began to sob.

For me, this extraordinary triptych expresses the rise and fall of the human spirit. The first panel soars to the blues skies with hopeful wings riding the winds. The second panel is the sun , calmly inviting you to fly closer although there is a hint of danger or passion lurking within. The third panel describes a burning descent, a charred falling flame; optimism and naivete have given way to hopelessness and regret. The clarity of Verdianos telling of this story, the story of dreaming and falling back into reality is part of the journey of life. We are not alone making this journey from hope to despair, and back again.

Those lucky enough to meet him at The Chicago Mosaic School or at the SAMA Conference have been transformed by his gentle nature, his love for the art, his generous heart.

Thank you Verdiano. Thank you. I miss you already, my beloved friend.