Ask the Artist: A New Series

I am starting a new series of blog posts called "Ask the Artist".  Once a month I will be answering questions posed to me by my readers, which focus on art making and making a living with art. If you have questions about my art, how I create my pieces or just questions in general about art, please send them my way. I will answer them to the best of my ability, even contacting fellow creative people when possible to broaden the scope of the answer.  The purpose of these posts is to help demystify the creative process for those who may not think of themselves as artistic and to help encourage other artists to find a life in the arts.  Here is the first question launching this series:

At what point in your career do you go from considering yourself someone who makes art to a full-fledged artist?

I think this is a question that must be answered individually and determined by the artist alone.
I might even suggest that there is no dividing line between one who makes art and one who is an artist.  In my training and practice of Buddhism, the Zen Master always cautioned about labeling oneself.  As soon as we state, "I am this" or "I am an Artist" one limits oneself to that definition and must then begin to determine the parameters of this identity.  Questions such as "what is an artist?" beg to be asked.  Or "how do I know I am an artist?"  These statements and the answers to them limit us as well: "if I am an artist, can I be anything else?"  Such questions can take a lifetime to answer.  Hence, the eternal Buddhist question: "Who am I?"

Instead, the Zen Master suggested, we identify with what we do.  "I paint." "I make sculpture." "I write." "I drink tea."  We are not limiting our identities this way, and thus, the question of when or how one becomes an artist isn't necessary.  We are not self-limited to our ideas of what an artist may or may not be nor beholden to others definitions of what an artist might be. 

Possibilities are wide open. We just create. I think that is what is important.

DoAn
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DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of DoAn Art may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

All artwork, photos and text © Copyright 2005-2009 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

Economic Recovery

I recently read the book Plenitude by Juliet Schor, and it really got my mind rolling.   Many of the things she said were ideas I already had tumbling around in my head, but she articulated them much better than I ever could.  She had a lot of research and analysis to clarify her points, which really helps.  Some of these facts are rather shocking and sobering.  She talks about shifting away from the business-as-usual mentality and work toward a future of stability and sustainability.  It is not easy work, but necessary is rarely easy.  I highly recommend this book, what she says is a real wake up call for all us. 

Then I came across the blog of creative person Amanda Palmer, her blog entry about the relationship to art and income was of particular interest to me.  What she says, echoes some of what I read in  Lewis Hyde's book The Gift, which talks about the role of the artist as a necessary contributor to the health and well-being of society.   Hyde talks about the struggle within the arts when turning something necessary to the culture into a commodity. Amanda Palmer discusses in her blog that financial support is necessary and should not be tied in with feelings of guilt.   I have been working for the last three years to shift my income to one that revolves around my creativity. I too have struggled with the feelings of guilt and the strangeness of turning art into a commodity.  As a result I have turned toward looking at how my creativity, which as been with me from when I was a small child, is a valid contribution to society.  This has opened me up to exploring different ways to make a living.

I have been working on painting, sculpture and my writing as a way to diversify my income.  I am careful now about the kind of jobs I choose, to make sure they support in some way my creative work, rather than just take time away from it.  I do some freelance web and editing work that is flexible with my art-making schedule and I teach.  Right now, it is tight.  I live precariously, but I am frugal and careful.  This is not how I would like to keep living, nor is it healthy to do so.  Right now, I'm afraid, too many people live like this...and far too many of them that do are creative people.

As we try to recover from the "financial crisis" (that politicians like to call it), returning to the status quo is not the answer.  This is our opportunity to fix what didn't work and create a new system.  For me, it is building a living around my creative work.  And a way to do that is to keep my work as close to me as possible. I am avoiding the middle-person to sell or distribute my work, so that I can keep my work priced reasonable and, more importantly to me, maintain relationships with the people who enjoy my work.  When so much of my time is spent alone as I work on my art, it is crucial that I maintain some contact with the people that appreciate and enjoy my work.

But, in order to be able to sustain a living, I need support.  And it isn't just me.  There are so many wonderfully creative people out there doing wonderful work without big contracts with record companies, publishers or galleries.  We need to support these people.  If we listen to their music, we need to buy their music or attend their concerts or invite them to house concerts.  If we need greeting cards, artwork, sculptures, gifts for others or ourselves, we need to buy them from those independent artists.  If we cannot purchase their work because our own money is tight, then we can help promote them by telling others, we can give the artist supplies to do their work, we can donate in-kind materials, we can make them some dinner, and so on.  Supporting an artist so they can make a living, isn't only  financial.  There are many ways to help. This is part of the new financial model that we need to build.

I believe this kind of purchase power and support will help tremendously with the economic recovery. By supporting independent artists we help allow work get made, we support the local community, and we play an active role in the kind of work that gets made.  We don't need big companies to choose for us what work gets made. We don't need to pay the higher costs of products to cover the big company leaders salaries.  We don't need to support big businesses shady practices that come back to hurt the consumer.  We can support the artists we know and whose work we enjoy.  As Amanda Palmer puts it so well:

it’s about empowerment and it’s about SIMPLICITY: fan loves art, artist needs money, fan gives artist money, artist says thank you.

I ask you, please, the next time you go buy a CD, a greeting card, a print, a painting, a book, a gift or home item, consider supporting an independent artist or writer.  They are making good work and it deserves to be noticed and supported!  As an artist, who works hard at what I do, I say, THANK YOU!!!

DoAn
Help in the creation of art, please consider donating! Just click on the link below:
 
DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of DoAn Art may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.  
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All artwork, photos and text © Copyright 2005-2010 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

Teachings in Small Packages

 I have been busy working on making many different kinds of animal sculptures for upcoming shows, but the one animal that I keep coming back to is the hummingbird.   Admittedly, I am fascinated by the real tiny birds, but I thought it was interesting that unlike other animals I create sculptures of, making one hummingbird is just not enough. 

I have read many interesting facts about hummingbirds as a way to create better, more life-like sculptures, but I realized I hadn't explored their spiritual natures.

As a spirit animal, I discovered that hummingbirds represent qualities such as openness, stamina, beauty, renewal and playfulness, among others. 

It is interesting to me how often my art does a better job of telling me where I am in my life than my own mind.  Some might argue that my art is really a reflection of my mind, but those who know me well, know that that is not always true for me.  My mind is often really good at getting in the way.  My art, when I am really connecting, is a reflection of my spirit. My art tells me where I am at the moment.  My mind often muddles that connection.  So, reviewing the fact that I have been nearly obsessed with creating hummingbirds and after reading about the spiritual qualities they represent, I suddenly have gained a deeper insight into where I am in my life. 

As I work on the painting of Etain, representing the notions of rebirth and renewal, I am not surprised to find a connection to the hummingbird.  The hummingbird, on cold nights, goes into a state called torpor, where its heart and breathing all but stop.  It is as close to dead as a thing could be.  Then, with the warming of the sun's rays, it miraculously comes alive once more. It is reborn and renewed to greet another day.  The goddess painting of Etain is dealing with this on a more personal level, for we all go through moments of renewal and rebirth throughout our lives.  I cannot begin to count the number of times I have experienced this myself.

But the hummingbird also represents the opening of the heart, allowing love and healing to enter.  This has been a hard issue for me.  The past carries many wounds, scars linger, and it can often feel more wise to keep one's heart kept hidden away.  It is the way I have learned to move around in the world.  I guard my independence fiercely, but the hummingbird is teaching me that to be open is the way to healing.  I believe that with all the work I have been doing with my art, this lesson is the one I have been avoiding for too long.

The hummingbird also teaches about play.  The hummingbird is actually a rather pugnacious bird.  I have watched them get into some very intense aerial battles around the feeder.  It is amazing to see them whirl and dive at each other.  They never harm each other; it is all just posturing and play.  In my great serious pursuit in making a living from my art, I sometimes forget about the importance of good serious play.   Hummingbirds spend 80% of their time perching.  I have mistaken glimpses of their speed and high energy as  model for living daily life.  Not even a hummingbird can flit around without rest.  In fact, it rests quite a bit. 

So, I am taking the lessons that my art is teaching me and I am taking a short break.  July 10th will be my first in a series of summer shows.  It will do me no good to stretch myself so thin that I have no energy to present my sculptures.  I am going to work on opening my heart to those who truly appreciate me for who I am, and thus allow healing to take place.  I will rest and practice the art of good healthy playing!

What might you learn from the tiny teacher, the hummingbird?

Happy Holiday to All!

DoAn
Help in the creation of art, please consider donating! Just click on the link below:
 
DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of DoAn Art may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.  
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All artwork, photos and text © Copyright 2005-2010 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

What is Needle-Felting?

I have been talking for most of the year about making wool sculptures using a technique called needle-felting.  What is needle-felting?  It is a process of felting (fusing the fibers of wool together) using a special needle that has tiny barbs on it.  By repeatedly poking the wool with the needle, the fibers of the wool compress and lock together.  With the needle, I am able to shape the wool into just about anything I like.  I can fuse different colors or pieces of wool together without the use of glue or sewing. 

Needle-felting began as a craft form in the mid-eighties, starting primarily as a way to create flat applique on fabric.  Since then, it has grown into making three dimensional sculptures and even wall art.  Stephanie Metz has been one artist who has turned needle-felting into a fine art.  Her work is large, highly detailed pieces that are developed from a theme and are shown in gallery shows. Her work really pushes the boundaries of how needle-felted sculpture can is viewed.

I am interested in similarly pushing the boundaries of needle-felting.  Right now I am exploring the natural world by creating sculptures of birds and animals, some with little micro-settings.  My work will soon be shown publicly at several shows I have lined up this summer, later to be made available for purchase online through my website and my Etsy shop. As I develop the sculptures, experimenting with complexity and technique, I plan to create more pieces with a theme, perhaps considering gallery shows of the sculptures as well.

In the meantime, I will show some sneak peeks of my sculpture.  Today, I will share a little overview of my needle-felting process:

Step 1: I take wool roving, which I purchase from Beth Marcellus of Warm n' Woolie Farm, a local wool farmer, who raises the sheep, processes the wool and dyes the wool by hand.  (I also buy my free-range eggs from her.  If you haven't had free-range eggs, you don't know what REAL eggs taste like!)

Step 2: Using the special barbed felting-needle, I felt the wool roving into various shapes, which will eventually be fused together to make the whole sculpture.  Each pieces can take several hours to felt into shape.  That's thousands of individual pokes of the needle!

Step 3: Once the separate pieces are made, I fuse them together using the needle.  (No glue or sewing involved)  Then I begin the shape the overall piece.  In this case, I am smoothing the line between the wing of the cardinal and where it meets its body. Then I will add the beak, felting more wool onto the head to smooth the transition between the beak and the head.  That's several more thousands of pokes of the needle.

Step 4: Now I begin to add the fine details.  Here I add the black mask on the face of the cardinal. I add some black details on the wing and tail feathers.  More shaping of the head, adding cheeks, and body, adding a puffy chest, takes place as this stage.  Yet more thousands of pokes of the needle.

Finished Piece: Once the final details are added. I sew the glass eyes on and the sculpture is finished.  In this case, the sculpture is an ornament, so I sew a string on as well.  This is a small sculpture (about three inches high) and takes between six and eight hours to make.  Sculptures larger than four inches, and those that have legs or other more complex features can take from 15 to 35 hours to complete.  I don't even want to imagine how many thousands of needle pokes that is!

DoAn
Help in the creation of art, please consider donating! Just click on the link below:
 
DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of DoAn Art may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.  
 
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All artwork, photos and text © Copyright 2005-2010 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

Progress

It may have been quiet on the blog, but rest assured, I have been very busy creating sculptures for three different shows I will be setting up at this summer.  The next show I will showing at will be Summer Fest in Oneida, NY on July 10th.  After that will be Vernon Center Old Home Days on August 7th in Vernon Center, NY.  I finish up the summer with a two day show at the Oneida Historical Society Craft Days on September 11th and 12th.

I am working very hard to create quality one-of-a-kind sculptures as well as learn how to best display my work within the confines of a 10 x 10 booth space.  There are a lot of learning curves to navigate, but it keeps me motivated. I like these kinds of challenges!

And, yes, I am still working on painting.  Currently, I am working on the next piece in the goddess series.  I am focusing on the goddess Etain exploring the notion of rebirth and the element of Air.  The progress of this painting, as well as other paintings I am working on will be shared on the Patron-only blog.  This is part of my commitment to focus my paintings on a spiritual exploration.  In doing so, I am limited exposure of these pieces for the time being to patrons who support this side of my creative work through regular monetary or in-kind donations.

Patrons get access to the patron-only site DoAn Art Studio where works in progress are shared and newly completed paintings are revealed before being shown to the public.  Patrons also get all the behind the scenes access to my creative work, news and occasional special gifts. 

If you are interested in becoming a patron you can contact me for details or go to my Fractured Atlas page to make an online donation: https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/contribute/donate/1343

Your donations will help me cover the cost of materials and other expenses involved in creating these pieces.  If you are interested in setting up a lay-away payment plan, contact me about setting this up.  You will still get access the DoAn Art Studio, but your monthly contributions go toward the purchase of a piece that exists or for one that has yet to be made.  

Over the next couple of years most of my paintings will be held behind the scenes as I focus on the spiritual path the pieces are taking me on.  My plan is to assemble the body of work that accumulates in the next few years and have a show examining the spiritual journey, both as a personal and archetypal path.  Many paintings I complete will not be ready to show until I see the other works develop in relation to each other.  Some paintings may not ever be shown outside the Patron-only site.   By becoming a Patron, you not only get to view these sacred works being created, but you actively participate in the creation of these works. 

I hope you enjoy continuing to follow my exploration into the world of needle felted sculptures, but appreciate your consideration in supporting my deeply heart felt exploration of myth and spirit in paint as well.

DoAn

Help in the creation of art, please consider donating!  Just click on the icon below:
 
DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of DoAn Art may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.  

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All artwork, photos and text © Copyright 2005-2010 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

12th Annual Great Swamp Spring Migration Nature Art & Craft Festival

Please join me for featured acclaimed wildlife artists, environmental displays, “Talons” Birds of Prey, live music, children’s activities, crafts, food, and more!!

I will showing and selling my needle-felted wool sculptures and taking orders for personal pet portrait sculptures. 

The Great Swamp Conservancy's 12th Annual Spring Migration Art and Craft Festival.
8375 North Main Street, Canastota, NY 13032
May 1st and 2nd 10am - 4pm

Suggested donation: $3/adult, $1/child

I have been working very hard since the start of this year on these needle felted sculptures, I will be pleased to have the opportunity to show them to you! I hope to see you there.

DoAn 

Help in the creation of art, please consider donating:
   DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of DoAn Art may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.  
 
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All artwork, photos and text © Copyright 2005-2009 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

Spring Rebirth: New Focus for DoAn Art

It has been quiet on the blog lately, but the apparent stillness is only on the surface.  Behind the scenes much has been going on. So much activity in fact, that I have found it difficult to pause long enough to write a post. 

It took me several months after coming back from my three month residency at Osage Arts Community (OAC) in Missouri.  Naively, I thought after spending three months deeply connected to exploring and being completely immersed in my art, that it would be easy to fit back into the routine at home.  I spent several months trying very hard to fit back in, until I realized my mistake.  I couldn't fit back in, because I had changed.  My time at the residency opened up my life to what I could accomplish if I devoted my life to art completely.  It was counter productive, and potentially damaging to go back to compromising my art by squeezing it in between this or that.   I have worked very hard for the last four years to make art a priority in my life. I have willingly and joyously given up a lot of comforts to make this possible.  I realized it was not possible for me to come back home and return back living the way I used to. 

I spend the last three months figuring out how to continue from where I left off at OAC. Which has resulted in a new focus on my art, which I hope will allow me to support myself through my creativity.  This year will be a challenging one, but I am eager for the challenge.  The alternative to this direction is not attractive to me: depression, soul-smothering, emptiness...

One of the dilemma's I encountered was in my relationship to painting and the marketing and selling of my paintings.  Over the last four years, with increasing intensity with each year, I have found my painting has become a deep, personal spiritual exploration.  I am often guided by something outside of me (or something deep within me) to explore a subject and create a painting.  The process in creating these paintings are long, challenging, sometimes exhausting.  It requires intense focus, a lot of meditation, introspection and letting go.  I have found it increasingly difficult to continue this process when I also have to think about how I will market the piece, whether it will be received well by others, if the piece is too personal, or that I am taking too long to create the painting.  Some paintings take several months to complete, which doesn't help my income, because I can only produce a few paintings a year.  I found I was forcing myself to create smaller works just to provide an income and to prove I was still around working.  But the small paintings often were just a distraction, they usually didn't not excite me or challenge me, and few of these pieces sold.  I think others sensed the lack of spirit in these pieces a well.  They were, in many ways, a fraud.   These pieces didn't contain within them, that special something that drew people to my larger paintings.  I was forced to pick up multiple part time jobs, and thus the compromise begins.

There is a great challenge in working side jobs that one is completely disengaged from.  It is exhausting, draining and sometimes spiritually demeaning.  It became more and more difficult to come home and work on a painting that requires intense focus and a lot of energy.  Even starting the day with painting was problematic.  I could begin really connecting to a piece then suddenly have to pull away to go to a job, which often left me out of sorts, making silly mistakes at the job because my energy and focus was distracted.  I needed to find a way of generating income that supports my creative energy, rather than detracting from it.  I needed to stop compromising this energy, but I was at a loss as to how to do this.


The last two years I have been exploring fiber, which lead me to needle-felting sculptures.  I have been enjoying the challenge of this new medium.  I like that it is environmentally friendly medium and that it allows me to work in three dimensions.  I have had good success marketing these sculptures and thinking about marketing while creating them doesn't interfere with the process.  It actually inspires and excites me.  This has lead me to setting up booths at local arts and craft fairs, which growing success.  Additionally, I have found setting up the small wool sculptures is far easier and much more mobile than lugging around heavy, fragile framed pieces and delicate prints for shows. Because of this, I have decided to direct most of my marketing energy to the needle felted sculptures as a way to support my art career.  

This does not mean I am giving up my painting.  Not in the least!  The need to paint is deep-rooted and necessary for my emotional and spiritual well-being.  By focusing my marketing efforts on wool sculpture, it will free me up to connect more deeply and without conflict to the paintings I am creating.  This will also allow me to create a painting first, then reflect on whether it can be marketed afterwards.  I believe some paintings call out to many people and some are not meant to be sold, others must wait to find the right person.  I will be better able to find the proper homes for my paintings by downplaying the marketing and letting them connect to the right individuals.  In the future, I will continue to share my paintings with you, though at times there may be fewer of them and they may be more widely spaced apart. 

I am excited about this new direction in my art and life.  I feel like with the arrival of Spring, I have gone through a rebirth of sorts.  In fact, the next big painting I will be working on will feature the Irish Goddess Etain, who represents the notion of rebirth in all its forms.  I am taking a big leap.  I am putting faith in the guiding spirit of my art.  I have come to learn that when I follow the guiding voice of my art spirit, life seems to fall into place.  Obstacles cease being obstacles, and become opportunities for growth.  Challenges become ways to stretch myself, rather than a means to defeat. 

I appreciate your support over these last four years. I do hope to continue seeing you as I move into this new, exciting territory.  It has been wonderful to share my journey with you, and without you along the way, this work would be quite lonely. It is, after all, your continued support that has allowed me to get this far on the path.  I deeply believe that no effort is accomplished by one person alone.  I have been able to refocus my life, focus on creating art, and give it back to the world because of all of you.  I am forever grateful for the relationships that have been forged and the support generated by embracing this life of art making.  You are directly responsible for art being made in the world.  Thank you!  I believe the potential of what I can do creatively will blossom dramatically with this new focus,  it will be wonderful to continue to share these new discoveries with you!

DoAn

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DoAn Art is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of DoAn Art may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

All artwork, photos and text © Copyright 2005-2009 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.