Thanks to the wonders of internet and this ongoing blog, I have met some new people and now I am embarking on some new art adventures.
It's a lonely place out here on the net sometimes, as you may have heard me bitch about, and hearing back from peeps is truly the coolest moment...knowing you are actually affecting something out there in the aether feeds me somewhere inside. Terry Garrett is a someone I met here on the blog thru his many gracious comments. We struck up a few email convos and decided that maybe we should collaborate on a journal. Now, I don't know about you, but it's difficult for this artist to not make some kind of little picture in my head that I think you look like, even tho I haven't met you. So Terry, he became a 40's something, dark haired women to me. I have met a few Terry's in my life and they all had dark complexion, dark long hair, and they were women. Therefore, this Terry had a mold to fit!! As usual, the joke was on me. My assumptions were totally incorrect. Terry is a man in his 50's. Oops. And he's also gay. Which for me is a non-issue, but it certainly did something to my habit of making up peoples' faces in my own head prior to know more about them....(so you, dear reader, are safe!!)
I haven't done a collaborative thing in a few years, since I had to put aside some private time for my own art to grow. But lately I have been eager to tangle with some other artists and see if they can help push me in new directions. I consider these collaborative projects as playtime in kindergarten. There's some really basic rules to follow, but basically I let myself go crazy and experiment like a kid with a new box o' crayons.
And so we were off. We both chose a journal and sent it to each other. I was especially intrigued with the content and subject matter of Terry's journal. I am so used to working with women on projects, and most of the time women seem to be the subject of the artwork. Here comes Terry's journal, loaded with male images and male ephemera. How terribly exciting! I was pretty amazed at this for some reason and decided that it's such a good thing to now and then expand ones'z horizons. I am always using these old Victorian lady pix that I get a hold of, mostly I think because my work is somewhat autobiographical and I try to find a face to fit a certain look I have in mind. And here comes this journal that's just reeking with testosterone and maleness....I just loved the change. It pointed out to me how boxed in that I am with subject material. I just love a good personal revelation!
Time to grow. Time to bring some males into my art stable and see what new things can be conjured up. I don't know if it's simply because I am working on a journal with a male, or if it's because I am working on a journal with a gay male, but I tend to think it's because I am working on a journal with another individual with a totally different refreshing point of view --so it's all new again. I don't have tons of male ephemera. It's all grrrls grrrls grrrrrrls. So I am on the prowl for some Vintage males. Some male nudes especially. That's a tough and tall order. So far, the only place I can get any variety is on vintage porn sites!
(note to self: Of course, maybe you are avoiding the alternative, which is to paint yourself some, you lazy girl.)
No comments:
Post a Comment