Lecture Notes: Pattern Painting

I was in a lecture recently that discussed Pattern Painting. It is important to me because I use patterns and grids to create my paintings. According to this lecture, Pattern Painting is the opposite of Abstract Expressionist, or said another way: Post Painterly Expressionist. Post-painterly Abstraction is a term created by Clement Greenberg.

Suzanne Gibbs, 2011.

Pattern Painting in itself is not an art movement. Yet many artists use patterns in their work or use patterns as their work. Saying pattern painting is the opposite of abstract expressionist is true and relevant in an art historical lecture, but not as relevant when viewing artwork as influence. A short list of painters to look at in the genre of pattern painting are:

Agnes Martin–gorgeous lines on a neutral background

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. String, acrylic gel on canvas. Influenced by Agnes Martin work.

Bridget Riley–graphic alteration of perspective on a flat space in black and white

Karl Benjamin–he has the most awesome command of color

Tim Bavington–making music in color

Carl Fudge–super patterny (made up word)

Philip Taaffe–complex all over patterns often made with stencils

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. a detail of some stencil work I've done influenced by Philip Taaffe

Jackson Pollock–all over drip paintings (a strange and fun Pollock website)

Jasper Johns–his motto: do something that friends aren't doing

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Detail of XO. Encaustic, paper, ink and house paint on paper. Influenced by Jasper Johns.

Robert Motherwell–bold black marks on white

Willem De Kooning–bold expressive mark-making, often female forms

Hans Hofmann–another master of color in loose shapes all over the canvas

Barnett Newman–color fields zipped together by color

Robert Rauschenberg–his work is loaded with stuff, combines

Helen Frankenthaler–every bit of the surface is important in her work

Clyfford Still–worked a lifetime of paintings, now has a Museum in his name

Frank Stella–geometric paintings that were flat then moved into three dimentions

The lecture made me think about:

1. Creating a totality and a choreography of the space.
2. What are valid subjects for paintings?
3. Giving people a point of reference.
4. Starting with materials and make the work coming from that.
5. No planning just canvas and materials are brought together.
6. The experience of color is tactile and more.

I could have found pieces of my work that have influences from each of these artists. All artists look at other artists work for inspiration. My son asked me the other day: "Where do musicians get their ideas?" I said, "from other music I suppose, and from life." We are all learning from one another.

Leo Castelli is an important guy because he had the galley that showed most of the artists I listed above. He influenced the art through sales.

Pay Attention To What You Pay Attention To.

Clearly, where we put our focus is what we will materialize in our life. I am finding that in grad-school everything is what we make of it each day. What we choose to pay attention to manifests the results. Post-grad work will be a plethora of opportunities–or at least I sure hope so! 

Suzanne Gibbs, 2012. Linear Collage. Gesso, acrylic, gouache, tape, paper, and canvas on canvas.

Myths that I hate, Artists are:

poor.
loners.
weird.
replaceable.
crazy.
odd.
unreliable.
 

A Can Do Focus

The steps, as I see it, that can be taken to bust the myths.
Work the Art.
The business of art.
Work ethic.
Resiliency.
100% supportive people.
Understand and leverage the power of ideas.


I took the time to look up the artists that I feel are best symbolizing the above mentioned myth busters. Following is what I came up with.

Work the Art

“I follow my instincts and work on the projects that interest me, whether writing, painting, blogging...or something else. No one can anticipate where each project will lead – you just have to embrace the not-knowing.” Sharon Butler, 
Author of:
Two Coats of Paint and other publications, Artist and University Professor.

Sharon Butler, Untitled (detail), 2012
pigment, binder, pencil on unstretched linen
48 x 60 inches

The Business of Art 

“All my work is about what we want from art, what collectors want, what artists want from collectors, what museum audiences want.” Andrea Fraser, Artist, Performance Art, Writter, University Instructor

Andrea Fraser.

Work Ethic 

“I am the head of a team, a coach, a producer, an organizer, a representative, a cheerleader, a host of the party, a captain of the boat, in short, an activist, an activator, an incubator.” Gabriel Orozco, Artist and business owner, lives in two countries.

Gabriel Orozco. Yielding Stone (Piedra Que Cede), 1992. Plasticine and dust.

Resiliency

“I was supporting myself, but nothing like the guy painters, as I refer to them. I always resented that actually.. we were all getting the same amount of press, but they were going gangbusters with sales.” Cindy Sherman, Artist, Performmance photographer.

Cindy Sherman.

100% Supportive People

“I think about, the economics of collaboration.” Alexandra Grant, Painter, Collaborative Artist, Business Owner

Alexandra Grant. Studio Shot.

 Power of Ideas

“I just wanted to find out where the boundaries were. I've found out there aren't any. I wanted to be stopped but no one will stop me.” Damien Hirst, Artist, business owner, celebrity.

Damien Hirst.

 

Focus on a career in Art:

Work the Art.
The business of art.
Work ethic.
Resiliency.
100% supportive people.
Understand and leverage the power of ideas.
 
We all have the potential to be our own brand of artist.

My brand of artistic career contains the following:
Making Art
Teaching Art
Writing about Art


– And for some shameless self-promotion, if you are reading this blog thank you. If you really like the content consider subscribing (use the button to the top right). Alternately, if someone shared this post with you and you want to see more, go to my Blog at:
 
http://suzanneutaskigibbs.blogspot.com/
 
Most importantly, what did I leave out that any one of you might find highly relevant? Please share in the comments section below.

7 Photographs

Showing you what I see.

The other day I decided to look for things I do not typically look at in my own home. Using photography I show you what we normally overlook. I took a hundred photos on my mini field trip. I share 7 here.

I uncovered patterns and a visual language or graphics within my home. I searched for the places where connections occur. Often decay or debris is the evident transition.

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.

Happiness Wednesday, Week 2

I would like to be happier every day. My Happiness Wednesday idea is to put happiness on my to do list. Last week I wrote a list. This week I will share ideas from an expert.

Suzanne Gibbs, Food Face, 2012, Encaustic on Panel

While I wish I had a happier happy face art piece to share, this one will have to do. I am choosing to get started today.


Here are Shawn Achor 5 EASY Daily Habits to Rewire the Brain for Happiness in 21 days:

1. Write 3 things you are grateful for.
2. Write for 2 minutes a day describing a positive experience of the last 24 hours.
3. Exercise 10 minutes a day.
4. Meditate 2 minutes on your breath. (Try focusing on your heart as you breathe.)
5. Write a short quick email in the morning praising or thanking someone (practice the art of a loving act of kindness.)

To learn more about Shawn Achor's work view this 12 minute TED clip.

Try it - and tell us how it goes. Does your art improve?

Making a Happy List

As a creative, every once in a while it is a very good idea to take inventory, to think about what drives the work that you do. Or you can simply call it a Happy List. Here is my partial list:

Houses

Homes

Decorating

DIY

Children

Comfort

Interior Design

1950's Style

Industrial Design

Bauhaus Influence

California Style

Shoes

Taking Responsibility

Color

Brightness

Family

Words and Typefaces

Books

Reading

Organization

Everything in it's place

Giving stuff away

No TV

Puzzles

Women's place

Collage

Children's books and Illustrations

Education

Minimalism

Building family

Motherhood

Kindness

Sleep

Industrial and commercial spaces

What gets covered up?

Less is more

Rice and beans

Bees

Drums

Children Singing

The beach

Breezes

The smell of oil paint

People laughing

Juice from a fresh fruit dripping down my chin

A phone call from a friend

Sunrise

Sunset on a beach on the west coast

Making stuff

Suzanne Utaski Gibbs, 2010, Super Soakers, Pastel on Paper

Every once in a while I like to take the time to write a list like this - usually I seem to to this task in the summer or in the dead of winter. Then I look at whether I am putting some of the good stuff into my life. 

A little random lunch art - Jeffrey Gibbs, 2010

Often finding Happy does not cost anything, it can be as simple as a morning walk and listening to the birds. Ah that makes another item for my list - listening to birds chirp! How about you what would you put on your Happy List?

A Happy Field Trip

Could you share a few so we can all go to a Happy Place? Thanks!