An Interview With Myself

I plan to interview my classmates and other artists in the coming months. I thought it might be a good idea to begin with myself. 

When did you consider yourself to be an artist?

I have been an artist all of my life, but around eighth grade was when the ah ha moment came for me. I knew then that visual expression was a joy and a challenge for me. In considering full-time work as an artist vs. being an artist, I wonder how do you define full-time? How do I separate my life from who I am? Recently I have begun to feel that how I have lived my life is an extended expression of my artistic practice. I am always looking for balance of family, fun, and freedom–with stability as the glue. I will feel I have reached my preferred professional level of practice as an artist when the art I make is sold regularly and supports making more work. 

Suzanne Utaski (Gibbs). 8th Grade project in clay. Good Night Moon

After school where do you plan to locate your studio? Do you have a plan for how you’ll set up?

I plan to find a studio space in a building with other practicing artists–I crave the community of other creative individuals. I’d love at least 500 square feet and natural light with really good ventilation. I will set up a huge worktable smack in the middle and buzz my way around the workstation making work.

Does your studio location influence your work?

Yes, if it is not amongst others I am less productive. I like the buzz of work and activity happening all around me.

Describe a typical day of work.

Arrive early, 8ish. Turn on lights and my encaustic table. Look around for what needs my attention–I purposefully leave work unfinished so that I always have something to go to–and jump right in. I move around from project to project often to let paint dry or wax cool. That’s why I love having a big work surface. I get hungry rather early, around 11:30. I like sitting in my studio right after I eat to plan what I can accomplish with the time I have left in the day. I make some phone calls, especially east coast contacts. I usually try to leave a half hour in the end of the day for clean up. I do not like coming into a mess in the morning. During clean up I am also trying to get into the habit of photographing the work of the day so that I can update Facebook. Often the day does not end there. I still have correspondence, a blog post and sometimes openings to attend. I work far more than 8-hour days, but I want to because I have the flexibility to not work at times and that is important to me so that I can spend time with my children.

Do you listen to music?

Not often. If I do, I use Pandora – world beat, jazz or drums. My iPhone has lots of music in it but I hardly ever listen to it.

What materials do you most often use?

Silly question, I am a materials junkie. All paints, all surfaces and then some. When studio mates need something a common phrase I hear is: “Ask Suzanne she might have some.”

What is your most coveted studio furniture piece?

A big work surface in the middle of the studio and lots of good storage.

While this IKEA work station has served me well for 12 years, bigger would be nice.

What unique tools or devices do you use which are critical to your creative process?

Ones that I find in unexpected places, like a cake decorating spatula or PVC pipe connectors in different sizes. I also make my own tools. I make them with bits and scraps from the studio, what others might consider garbage. A used up roll of tape and a bit of unused shelf liner becomes a tool with which to make ben-day type prints. A scrap of wood will get cut into many more pieces and reassembled to make a pattern that I then use to print repeated patterns. Nails embedded into a strip of scrap wood can become a tool to print with or to scrape away paint. Old art erasers, pencil bits, plastic pieces of pipe, buttons, and many other items that would normally end up in the bottom of a family junk drawer are all fodder for possible use as tools. The possibilities for turning materials that would normally go unused into tools that serve my purposes are endless.

Can you tell me about an item in your studio that has significant meaning to you?

It used to be my pallet knives, but then I began working in encaustic. I guess in a very real way all my studio accoutrements are important to me. While I have moved constantly in my lifetime, and I have given away furniture, clothing and other personal items, I always hold onto my art studio supplies.

Describe your project schedule.

This is still evolving. When I begin to have projects due for clients or a show to get ready for, I know I will handle the workload with considerable planning and attention to deadlines. I work better with due dates that are imposed by others.

Do you have a contemplation zone? Inside or outside your studio?

Yes, while walking, showering or when I am moving artwork around in my studio. I am not a sitter.

How often do you clean your studio?

I sweep regularly, but I hate cleaning. I tend to take things out, work with them, and put things back. I like to be organized, I hate looking for what I need, that can ruin a days work. It seems that about every 3 to 4 months I do a kind of deeper organizing, you know, getting rid of things that are no longer servicing the work.

How do you title your work?

Still working on this, inventory numbers might be the best way to go. Often I will reference materials in the piece or what the piece reminds me of. My husband is great at giving me titles for pieces.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2011. My husband named this piece Fiesta. Oil on Canvas.

Do you have or plan to have assistants?

Do my kids count? They have helped me, so has my husband. As far as production assistants–I do not foresee that being a part of my practice. I do and will continue to use the services of professionals to make things I need – such as panels. I also envision a bright future with a team like an accountant, bookkeeper, house cleaner, and web maintenance specialist supporting the work I do. Right now, I do it all.

Have you or would you work for anther artist?

I have worked for a graphic design sole proprietor. I enjoyed that. I do not foresee working for another artist, but I would consider contract work from another artist.

Tell me your artist motto, manifesto or creed.

Motto: Keep making.

Manifesto: Link to other post.

Creed: I will keep making the work (quantity), I expect that the quality will come through a higher source.

Any advise for other artists?

Don’t fall in love with your last piece; fall in love with the next. It takes a lot more work than you can imagine…

Worst Studio Visit Comments

Are you married?

I was worried about you...

What's with all the patterns?
You're all over the place.
What's going on in here?
You need to get yourself set up like a painter.
Looks like bad 1970's pattern painting...
What are you trying to say?

So I did what any sensible person would do...I wrote the comments down, I ripped the comments up, I assembled the pieces into a collage.

And then I took it apart.

I re-used the panel today. I will post new art soon.

Artists Working With and About Food

I have been working with food for a little while and a funny thing has happened. I keep running across artists that are doing works referencing food or using food. Below are two examples. Including my own.

Henry Hargreaves is a photographer. He makes tech look-alike products out of Foam Core and deep fries them. As a friend said to me today, "Fried Apples."

Henry Hargreaves

I first saw this image on Two Coats of Paint. Instant noodles as sculpture.

  ANN CATHRIN NOVEMBER HØIBO, Untitled #06, 2012, bronze cast of instant noodles, 4 x 3 ¾ x 1 ¼ inches.

 

I consider myself a painter.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2008. Red Hot Chili Pepper. Acrylic on canvas board.

 But is this a painting?

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Noodles. Noodles, gesso, string, canvas on canvas.

 Share a food art image.

Happy Wednesday: Art From Encaustic Workshop

Today is Happy Wednesday. Last week I posted the work of my classmates.  This week I bring you my work from the encaustic workshop.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Markings, Encaustic on Panel.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Encaustic Study, encaustic on panel.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Good Enough to Eat, Encaustic on wood.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Good Enough to Eat, Encaustic on wood. Alternate view.

On the edge of Organized and Not

Suzanne Gibbs, 2011. 

I organize my drawings on a magnet board similarly to how I organize my paintings.

Top 9 Alternative Art Supplies (continued)

Last week I wrote about Alternative Art Supply stores but I forgot to add some of the work I have done on or with alternative supplies.

Here is a smattering:

Suzanne Gibbs, 2008. Boy Thinking, Acrylic painted on half a door.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2008. Face Studies, Acrylic painted on left-over pieces of crescent board from framing.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2008. Lego Out To Dry, Mixed Media including: oil pastels, water color, string, lego, tiny clothes pins, duct tape, the back sides of the covers of sketch books.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2009. Bike Man. Mixed Media. Cardboard, paper, oil pastels, chalk pastels, acrylic, a bike chain, magazine/catalog cut out, used plastic bags, pebbles.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2008. Matchbox Grid. Mixed media. Acrylic, match boxes, matches, glue, string, on plywood scrap.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2008. Study of Georges Braque work. Acrylic on press board scrap.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2008. Circles in Threes. Side 1. Salvaged 1950's windows with circular pattern, acrylic, paper, wood scraps, wire. Can be hung to be seen from from or back.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2008. Circles in Threes. Side 2. Salvaged 1950's windows with circular pattern, acrylic, paper, wood scraps, wire. Can be hung to be seen from from or back.

Suzanne Utaski Gibbs, 2012, A Smidgen of Pink, 
3 x 3, acrylic, hemp string, and paper on coaster.

The above piece will be in a show soon at  CSUF Grand Central Art Center in downtown Santa Ana. I wrote a bit more about it recently. The show is coming up soon.

Saturday, July 7, 7:00pm until 10:00pm

Building up to Art as Work

A list of things I am grateful for as well as things that influence the work that I do. In no particular order. What would your list look like? What influences the life you live?

Suzanne Gibbs, 2011. Oil on Canvas. Study of Georgia O'keeffe, My Shanty, Lake George, 1922.

Married 20 years on 09/2012.

Mom of two boys.

My Parents - alive and married since 1964.
One of three siblings.
The oldest of my siblings.

Both sets of my grandparents stayed married over 50 years–for life.

I worked as a stay-at-home parent for 15 years–I still do, to some extent.

More of us should consider the value of parents and parenting.

I wonder what would happen if children's voices were more highly valued and considered.

I have owned lots of houses.
I have lived in even more than lots of houses. See below.

I am white and female.

My family has been a huge influence on my decisions.

I have lived in over 30 homes - you know, where I get mail at that address for a time.

People close to me live in or near the 1%.

What is a traditional career?

Others climb the corporate ladder.

I value stability and flexibility equally.
I paint.

I do things for fun.

I value my health.

Intellectual rigor is important to me.
In all my moves, one thing stayed constant–I brought my art supplies with me, even when it meant selling beds, couches or the like. Ask my husband, he'll tell you.

Can human equality exist?

Do we pay enough attention to human rights?

Do we pay enough attention to how we live?

"The Shanty" by Georgia O'Keeffe, similar to the image I produced above, greatly interests me. She painted it to look "dull and dreary" like "the mens' work of the time." 

When she was invited to do a show in New York a few months later, she was encouraged to put this piece in the show alongside her more colorful and seductive work. The only piece that sold during the duration of the show was, you guessed it, "The Shany."

Besides that story, I love the piece because she painted in the building represented in the image. When she and Stieglitz moved up to upstate New York to spend the summers there, she wanted a place to work. She asked Stieglitz if she could clean out and update the little building. He said sure, as long as she did not spend any money.

She rounded up a group of neighbors. They helped her to fix it up to be her studio. Collaboration and team work are awesome!

She found a place to call home, away from home–to work. Yea for her!

Suzanne Gibbs, 2011. Oil on Canvas. Variation of Study of Georgia O'keeffe, My Shanty, Lake George, 1922.

FREE Art - LIKE on Facebook

Last night my kids and husband drove to Panda Express at 9PM to receive their FREE serving of orange chicken The chicken was FREE because they hit LIKE on Facebook. They tell me the place was full and that there was a line. It was a party and people were proud to show their coupon to each other in line.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2008. Self Portrait. Acrylic on Paper.

Can an art show work like this? Rent a space, hang a show, invite guests via Facebook and agree that all the artists will give away small 4x4 inch art pieces to the first 150 visitors. The rest of the art would be for viewing and for sale.

My husband said we would need to serve food. I say why not pot luck or have a nearby food truck.

In this Social Media world it seems that more and more people want to connect in person with others that have similar interests. I'd try this with a group of 15 or so artists would you?

Artist Manifesto

Suzanne Gibbs on Painting Paintings

Suzanne Gibbs, 2011. Detail of Empty, Oil on Canvas.

1. There are no mistakes in art or painting
2. Impermanent and changing
3. A painting is an object that goes on a wall, often over the fireplace or sofa
4. It is all about the experimenting or exploration
5. There is no such thing as a masterpiece
6. Each piece teaches me what I need to know in order to move onto the next piece
7. Sometimes I learn nothing, and move on anyway
8. I am not always proud of yesterdays work but there is always today
9. Transparent or hidden in plain sight
10. Is there a message? Does there have to be?
11. It's all been done before, maybe – and certainly not by me
12. Who needs the work?
13. To not paint is not an option
14. If it looks machine made–why do it at all?
15. Expressive and ongoing, occasionally emotional
16. I'll take care of the quantity–the quality comes from a universal source that flows through me at will–without quantity I might miss something
17. Building, making, imagining, creating–it's just what I do
18. Reuse, recycle, re-purpose, re-imagine, redo
19. Is it important to create a new realm, a new point in history, to make history?
20. When in doubt make more work, work harder, have more fun, make more work, make work, doubt some more, but keep on going none-the-less.

Lady Grid is a great example of my manifesto. She was a painting of something, then she became she - there is a face below the grid, then she became the grid. Always exploring. Will she remain?

Suzanne Gibbs, 2011. Lady Grid. Oil on Canvas.

Top 9 Alternative Art Supplies

Alternative Stores for Supplies

Making art does not always mean a trip to an Art Store. Often I take Artists Dates to some of the following idea generating alternative supply stores:

Thrift Stores - ideas and cheap materials abound, pots, storage units, furniture, men's shirts

Goodwill Stores - same

Salvation Army - yep, good stuff for art

American Cancer Society Thrift Shops - a bit more upscale than Goodwill usually, but you never know what you can find

Salvage Yards - my favorite, but good ones are hard to find, sadly I do not live near my favorite salvage yard any longer, if you live in Northern California check out:  Heritage Salvage

Dollar Stores - I have known artists to buy canvases here on purpose (a cheap surface), also containers, tape, glue, random hardware, wire, or even strange made in China toys to re-appropriate

Fabric Stores - who says you have to stretch canvas bought at an art store, what can you do with alternative fabrics?

Local Consignment Shop - one of my favorite consignment shops sells buttons by the jar full, they actually hire special needs adults that cut the buttons off of unusable clothing and sell the buttons for about $7 - $9 a jar, sadly I moved away from this jem of a store in Napa, CA

Kristen Bradford, 2012, Installation at Claremont Graduate University

eBay - well, you never know what you might need, 100 porcelain kitties, eBay would be a good place to start

I would love for any local Los Angeles peeps to tell me of their favorite Alternative Art supplies stops - I am new here and need some direction. Please comment and share.

Book review: Jeffrey Vallance, Desk Job

Jeffrey Vallance found my Blog and read my last post about his book: The World of Jeffrey Vallance. He posted a comment which was very nice thing to do. Thanks Jeffrey! 

Unfortunately, his comment has given me stage fright. I promised my readers a follow-up review. I had actually forgotten that I wrote that I would do an additional review. But then a real live PUBLISHED author read my review. Yea, I'm flipping out. A little. Ok, ok I am grateful for the reminder.

I found my notes buried under other paperwork on my desk. It is funny now that I think about it. My desk is not working for me. I need a desk job. For weeks I had this note to myself:

"stuff about this texas art piece"

My notes that had been buried under other work.

What Mr. Vallance did was set up an office-type environment in a gallery in Texas. He had a desk, chair, computer...you know the works that can be found in an office. He did this in his own version of what an office space might look like in a typical Texas office. Then, Mr. Vallance sat in his office in the gallery for a duration. 

In his book he wrote about this art project and called it Desk Job.

The office that he created essentially became a fish bowl. People looked in. People stopped in to talk to him. He sat at his desk in the gallery.

My studio is a fish bowl. I guess that is why I could relate to what Mr. Vallance created.

That's me, my son took the picture for me. He is outside. I am sitting in my studio at a desk.

I work in a sleepy town in Southern California. Sleepy, but very pleasant. People stop by once in a while and I sell some of my greeting cards to them. We chat. Sometimes I am grateful for the distraction. Other times I close the shades.

Studio Storefront.

Is Jeffrey Vallances' performance/installation piece worthy of a blog post? Well, I guess it is because here I am writing it. I suppose that Desk Job has likely already been extensively written about back when it actually happened. I wonder is the idea behind it still valid? Questioning the workplace.

I question: am I in a performance installation when I am at work in my studio? Until I read Desk Job I had never thought about how odd it is that I chose to work in the public's view. I have a strong work ethic and I love the idea of "opening up shop" when I come into work. My studio set-up never seemed strange to me until I read Desk Job. I guess I am strange or Jeffrey is–if it matters.

There are entire websites devoted to selling desk and office gadgets - anything to get your mind off of work. When I sat down to work today this website called Art Bistro had sent me a promotional e-mail for office toys. If we all worked at a storefront none of us would need gadgets and toys, instead we would be able to put off working by communicating with other people. Imagine that.

My performance/installation is working for me. So far I have sat or worked in my "Desk Job" longer than Jeffrey Vallance did in his. I have had this set up for over a year now. I guess maybe it is time I wrote about Suzanne Gibbs The Artist is Present*.

*This is in reference to those who have not yet seen: MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ THE ARTIST IS PRESENT a documentary of her performance in New York's' MoMA.

Why do we call Desk Job an installation performance art piece? Did Mr. Vallance have a big enough message in his execution of the Desk Job? I am not sure. I did not get to see the installation/performance in person. 

I wonder, will my next studio will be in a closed-door building? Or will I look for a studio in a not-so-sleepy town and expect even more on-lookers? Time will tell. 

Jeffrey, thank you for provoking questions in my practice. In this way, you rock! The garbage man just waved at me as he took my garbage away.

Happiness Wednesday, Week 3

MFA Thesis In Progress

I feel compelled to make this post short. Last night I completed and printed out the First Draft of my MFA thesis at midnight. Yes this qualifies as a Happy Wednesday post! And yes in addition to making a lot of art, artists write a thesis as well.

I am not ready to share the essay up-close and in PUBLIC, yet. Instead, I will give you a snapshot of what my desk looks like while completing this difficult and enriching task. I would however, welcome collaborators, please read to the end of this post for more information.

In order to put things into perspective I should let you know that I am working at a 10 foot table.

The ubiquitous red pen.

So far, my only editors and collaborators are my children and my husband. Next week my work will endure a peer and professor review. I am looking forward to this step in the process.

If any of my loyal blog followers (you know who your are) really wants to read this document in draft format - please let me know in the comments section and give me your preferred e-mail. I will send it to you and I will gladly accept comments and feedback. Thank you in advance.

Encaustic Workshop - Classmate Work

Encaustic is an extremely versatile art form. While I was taught the same techniques as my classmates, none of us created similar work. Even while working side-by-side.

Below you can see the exciting works my classmates made while in the R&F Paints Comprehensive Encaustic Workshop.

Kathy Leader, 2012.

Kathy Leader, 2012.

Kathy Leader, 2012. A collection of works made at the workshop.

Jackie, 2012

Jackie, 2012

Merilee B Allen, 2012. A selection of pallet paper works in encaustic.

Merilee B Allen, 2012.

I am hoping to have a studio visit with Caryl St. Ama later this summer. Stay tuned.

Caryl St. Ama, 2012.

Caryl St. Ama, 2012. Detail.

Caryl St. Ama, 2012. Detail.

Caryl St. Ama, 2012.

Caryl St. Ama, 2012.

Caryl St. Ama, 2012.

 

 

 

Encaustic Workshop - Day 4

I am continuing to search for clarity and direction in my work as I work towards my MFA. From this encaustic workshop I learned a plethora of new ways to paint with molten wax. All the ideas and techniques made my head spin. I have many new things that I want to try.

Encaustic is an extremely versatile art form. Hopefully over the summer months I will be able to introduce and excite some readers about painting with molten wax. I will document my explorations as much as possible.

Below I show a small sample of our last days work together.

A classmate working on a pallet collage.

Adding pigment to wax with chalk pastels.

Creating sculptural surfaces with molten wax.

Creating forms with molten wax that can then be added to encaustic art work.

Fusing sculptural items.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Carved wax with pigment added (blue lines) and poured wax forms (black and white).

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. There is no end to how many layers of wax - it can become sculptural.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Selection of works from Day 4.

Finishing touches.

Time to clean up!

Some of us worked until the very last minute.

Merilee B Allen, 2012.  In progress woven rice paper and mono printed encaustic paper.

In the past 4 days I shared bits of what I learned about encaustic painting.
Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.
 
To learn more about painting in encaustic please refer to Wax Works West. A school dedicated to encaustic painting located on the west coast in California.