The Art Critique

 

     About a year ago a group of us decided to get a thing going each month, where friends  who have been carefully assembled as valued and creative individuals, gather to share work in process, to share concerns, ask for a set of fresh eyes and often serve as a resource for more efficient  methods of framing, exhibiting and selling work, find a good book to read. Sometimes we just  have a good cuppa and a pastry  with a side of heartfelt conversation.  The group morphs each month, as not everyone is able to attend all the time, and winter took its toll on us, through travel, illness, and weather conditions, which in northern Wisconsin can be a major consideration in assessing the social factor.  We met at the chez Cheryl artspace in February and several cars, at the end of our morning,  had to be pulled out of the snow banks that were creeping up to the window sills, intrepid characters that we all are, it is nice to know there are spousal units waiting with trucks and ropes and shovels to assure that everyone gets home safely.
     Now it is April and mud might be the issue, the skies are cloudy and thick with promise of precipitation today, and I am filled with thoughts brought out in discussion with our little group yesterday.  There are eight people in this group right now, though it could grow to ten and still have the  impact and energy needed as a group dynamic. If the group gets too big there is too much chatter and not enough  thoughtful input, if the group is too small  there is less divergent and heterogenous  perspective, we are all women who paint or make things,  with impeccable credentials, some retired with professions in the design field, educators, administrators and business entrepreneurs, and the group is sincere and honest, two qualities that must accompany each individual into the group.

Yesterday we had six in attendance, In an hour and  a half we had  covered the art and designs of each participant, coming away with new insights and the confidence to keep at this, even if its not producing a masterpiece or a marketable  sensation, the goal is  to keep learning and  exploring. I think we have all come to value highly, our little morning discussions and support that is offered with kindness and deep thought.

One participant asked if we could each  write an artist statement for our next meeting in May. I once attended a workshop regarding the business of art, and this artist statement business was covered, our seminar leader suggestion we should be able to distill  a statement down to three sentences. I never could streamline things.  And there are those who say the art work is the statement, I hover somewhere in between, having been involved in art museums, label writing and  research,  but I always found it easier to write about some other artists work rather than my own.  This will be hard, but onward, there is a month ahead, of watching spring arrive, planning gardens,and most of all,  getting work ready to exhibit at places  local and regional. I  think I say this for the women in the art crit group, this is a valued experience as well as a special, to have this connection  and a real gift to be able to do what we do.

Several of our group intent on what is on the easel at the moment