The value of throwaway photos
What good is a digital photo if it never leaves your camera?
Forget about digital cameras — when was the last time you actually printed out a smartphone photo? Delete, delete, delete. Paradoxically, I’m finding throwaway photos make it easier for me to be a working artist.
My smartphone has become my other short-term memory bank. Before I leave the studio for the day, I now take a photo, then type a little text to remind me of where I left off. Even an image without text helps. It gets me back into the creative flow, even when days pass before I can continue a work-in-progress.
And that visual reminder saves time too: I don’t need to un-glue a collage element to fix a preventable mistake. As Jacqui Palumbo noted in a recent article: “We are taking more photos than ever today, but do we really value them?“ Oh yes, yes I do… especially when the rest of my life elbows its way past my studio practice. How do you use your ‘useless’ photos? Tell me on Instagram or Facebook.
A 'uniquely portable magic' at Columbia City Gallery
If Stephen King is right that “books are a uniquely portable magic”… then a book arts exhibit must be a special kind of sorcery.
“The Book as Art” gathers a dazzling array of handmade books at the Columbia City Gallery. They’re different from the books I alter, which are usually sealed shut (partially or completely). Although I make narrative art, the story is told within a more traditional volume. These artworks tend to deconstruct the book design itself. It’s fascinating to see what qualifies as a “book" in an artist’s opinion, and what materials they choose to manipulate.
MalPina Chan, “The Evil Eye:: Envy and Jealousy”
Narrowing down the selection must’ve been a nightmare for MalPina Chan and her co-curators. But installation day… now that I would’ve volunteered enthusiastically to do.
Getting back to the “portable” part of the magic, though, I can’t escape the desire to hold a book in my hands. How do you allow people to get a good feel for the artwork, literally and figuratively?
Fortunately, there’s a time and place to ask: the book artist panel discussion at the gallery tomorrow, October 19th, at 4pm. After a couple hours in this magicians’ workshop, maybe I’ll walk out with a few secrets I can take back to my own studio.
Artist Trust At Large: getting YOUR word out
We're going to do something different for January's Artist Trust At Large presentation: a webinar viewing party! This gathering will be laser-focused on helping artists get the word out about their work.
During the webinar, you'll learn how to create a strong online presence. You'll also get the basics of developing a social media strategy, plus tips about effective websites, courtesy of marketing consultant Kelsye Nelson. She's also an author and instructor who teaches the University of Washington's Business of Digital Publishing course.
The webinar will be streamed live statewide. I'll host the in-person portion of the event, gathering Seattle-area artists to help them network after the webinar. Details:
Please register here, especially if the whole Marketing Thing freaks you out. It's a gentle, FREE way to ease yourself into presenting your work online. See you soon!