WEEK SIX: Taking Your Work in New Directions
PREVIEW: Sometimes the most interesting and groundbreaking work that an art path takes is simply moving the work from a two-dimensional framed work on the wall to a new format. Functional and Decorative art and fine craft does just that. This week we will explore the relationship of medium and message in our work and invite you to think beyond the wall into other forms of expression and even offer some tutorials on how you might accomplish transforming your idea into a dimensional canvas or mixed media construction.
4:00 CDT
MONDAY ZOOM: In preparation for Monday’s zoom, get a snack or your favorite beverage. Set aside 30 minutes and take a virtual vacation. Using Pinterest as your idea starter site, search under any or all of these titles: Artist Book Ideas, Woodworking Art, Altered Photographs, Fiber Arts, Assemblage, Sculptural Paper, or any other topic that you want. You are looking to expand your horizons about how other forms and mediums can be used to translate your ideas.
Make notes or create a Pinterest board of your own to help you remember some possibilities to explore for your current or future work. It is best to limit your time for this exercise. Pinterest is one of those rabbit holes that can expand your cache of possibilities while at the same time it could lead you far afield of your goals.
We will discuss your own experiences of moving your work off the wall. Be prepared for a five-minute sharing of your story and your discoveries. We will open the zoom to questions and discussion after the sharing.
TO READ: In this week’s To Read section we are including two tutorial documents that outline simple ways to take your work off the wall.
Pictorial Demonstration of Building with Foil and Fiber, For The Love of Leonardo In this step-by-step pictorial demonstration, Lyn lets us in on her secrets to creating the structure of her amazing spirit doll constructions.
Wax and Paper, 2.0 In this pdf, Michelle discusses how she creates her own canvases for encaustic with paper and foam. This is an important update to materials and processes since the publication of the book Wax and Paper Workshop.
TO WATCH: In these two short videos, Lyn demonstrates connecting several panels into a screen and a simple way to create a dimensional spirit doll form that can be hung.
Building a Standing Structure
Sample Video: Neo Santos, a new interpretation of folk art saints and angels
TO ACCOMPLISH:
1. When posting your goals progress this week, add a note about some possibilities of how you might see your work moving off the wall in the future. Post your Progress Report in the Slack channel PROGRESS-REPORTS-AND-GOALS. Friday Checksheet
2. If you have experimented with another format such as book, sculpture or altered photography this week or in the past, add an image in Slack (Channel 3 WORKS-IN-PROGRESS) and tell us the story.
TO DEEPEN:
Harnessing the Power of Your Art We often forget that our work is a story of who we are and where we have come and for that reason, some of our work is archetypal in its power to enlighten and transform. If you like Soul Collage, you will find this process of using images of your own work very powerful.
OPTIONAL RESOURCES:
Starts and Restarts, Pt. 2 Sometimes you can find a new place to take your work by starting over. If you work in wax, this short video will be helpful.
Spirit Doll Steps This video will help you provide a strong base for creating a standing spirit doll structure. Lyn has several other short videos in the Resources section in the members pages that will be helpful if you would like to explore using mixed media processes to create three-dimensional materials.
