Carl Jung - Matters of Heart - Part 1

Face to face with Carl Jung - Part 1 of 4

"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams, who looks inside awakes. " - Carl Jung
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What happened Monday and Tuesday?

I didn't have the best Monday, but it surely was not the worst either, so I will refrain from whining. Suffice to say it was a trial and did not have the chance to blog about it and so you've all been spared a diatribe.

Today however was a good day in spite of itself.

Art history was a good one, covering what has been deemed as being, handmade. We were asked to ponder upon, what we think this recent handmade development is about, the who, what, where and why of it all. Simple answer would be, who knows, but we all have our own conjectures.

I think there is a longing for a simpler time, one could say perhaps it is a nostalgia but I believe it is much more that this and perhaps difficult for me to articulate, but I will attempt to do so. My thought is there is an attempt to unravel the complexity of our fast paced lives, so that we slow down with a presence of mindfulness, that is a much healthier and holistic way of living as opposed to being cogs within the technological and corporate machine.

We live in a world the seems to live for instant gratification, were we are credit rich and cash poor. I don't want to go into a philosophical rant, as I am certainly not schooled in philosophy, but I am a person who works and creates with my hands which often involves hours of repetitive action, for no monetary reward but for internal rewards. The satisfaction I feel of spending time and attention to detail as well as the meditative state that results, perhaps is only appreciated and understood by those of us involved in creative process.

The power of the individual is always being undermined and thwarted in today's society. The individually handmade, champions, respects, empowers the individual if it is made under circumstances that also support these values. This process is not about the thing in and of itself. It is about the person and the creative process, about the relationship to self, to others and ultimately to a higher good.

I think the late Dr Martin Luther King clarifies the bigger picture of what is the root concern of the so called, " Handmade Nation.".

"We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered. A nation can flounder as readily in the face of moral and spiritual bankruptcy as it can through financial bankruptcy."

Dr. Martin Luther King, April, 1967

I found a compelling blog belonging to Faythe Levine that is all about the handmade.

Well I'm off to couch surf!

Thoughts On A Sunday Morning...

I have nothing in particular to write about and so I am hoping the simple act of writing while thoughts come to the surface, might spark some kind of reflection that will make sense.

Writing and posting in this blog has been my daily art practice exercise, that was asked of me in the Open Seminar class that I have been enrolled in this term. It has been a beneficial learning experience, as I realize even more acutely how a daily creative exercise improves your creativity in numerous ways, and it being a means to learning about one's self. It has improved my writing skills, and I have learned a lot about other artists, made new friends on line and found great satisfaction in receiving feed back from others about what I have been writing and posting. I especially want to thank all of those you have and are reading and who comment. Much of the time you feel like you are speaking to the vacuous black hole of cyber space because many folks may read your blog but few respond. Comments mean a great deal regardless of the length, positive or negative.

Another purpose of this blog, was a way to journal my summations of my Canadian Art History lectures and expressing my thoughts about visiting artists and topics relating to my painting class. This has been a very positive experience, as I have learned a lot about artists we have covered in class, and those I indirectly encountered on and off line.

During the past four months, my daily blog has become a habit and I do hope I can continue. It is not however for me, a better substitute for long hand writing and being able to add tactile sketching that an actual physical journal provides, but more of an augmentation to the writing and creative process.

In the Fall of the year I hope to be taking a creative writing seminar for eight months and am very excited about this. I know, like any skill the more you practice, the better the work but I also understand that one of the best things you can do to improve one's writing, and art, is to read, which I don't do enough of and intend to change that.

My third year is coming rapidly to an end, with one week left. It's gone by very quickly though some days dragged endlessly for me. It has been a great year generally and I have learned many things and I am looking very forward to my last and final, fourth year.

The Business Of Art

Last week we had a presentation that was given to our Art Seminar class by the Head of the Fine Art Department and Artist Thaddeus Holownia. He shared his most recent experience of having his work exhibited in The Armory Show, in NYC. He also gave an in depth overview of his experience within the art world as professional photographer. The discussion covered dealers, auction houses, and the issue of selling art as commercial commodity and all that it entails. It was extremely informative, enlightening, and a reality check.

I subscribe to the site, FineArtViews which was serendipitously sent to me today and the article I have republished by Brian Sherwin, I found it to be very relevant to our Art Seminar class in that it explored some the same concerns and I wanted to share it.

Big City Success for the Small Town Artist: Part 1 - Going the Distance can be a Step Too Far

by Brian Sherwin

This article is by Brian Sherwin, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews. Brian Sherwin is an art critic, blogger, curator, artist and writer based near Chicago, Illinois. He has been published in Hi Fructose Magazine, Illinois Times, and other publications, and linked to by publications such as The Boston Globe, Juxtapoz Magazine, Deutsche Bank ArtMag, ARTLURKER, Myartspace, Blabbermouth, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Modern Art Obsession, Citizen LA, Shark Forum, Two Coats of Paint and Art Fag City. You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here.

A recent FineArtViews article, titled ‘Communication Breakdown: Art Dealers and Cold Calls’, sparked a lively debate. In the article I discussed some of the do’s and don’ts concerning how to-- and when not to-- establish direct contact with an art gallery. The article spurred several readers to comment with questions that focused on how an artist located in a small town should go about establishing contact with an art gallery that is located hours away. Point blank-- readers wanted to know how to work around the barrier of distance in order to pursue exhibit opportunities in larger cities. I won’t claim to have all the answers-- that said, I do have some suggestions. The first in this series deals with going the distance.

What does a small town artist do if he or she desires to rub-elbows within art galleries that are located hours away? How can a small town artist overcome the distance barrier? Moving to the desired big city is a choice that comes to mind over all others-- it is a choice that many artists have made in order to solve the problem of professional distance. Thus, it is a choice that is very important to address.

Moving to the big city of interest is probably not the answer that small town artists are looking for. However, it is the most obvious solution to the problem of distance-- one that a large number of artists have decided on. That said, I don’t advise a physical change in location unless the venture is thought out in advance. True, it can be relatively easy to uproot and move to a major city in order to pursue art-related opportunities-- New York City being the most popular choice. However, do keep in mind that while throwing caution to the wind can be liberating-- it is only fun until the bills arrive.

Before you abruptly move yourself, and loved ones if that is a factor, to NYC-- or any other big city for that matter-- there are MANY things that you should consider. Artists who move to NYC often do so while chasing a dream. Unfortunately, reality always awakens the dreamer. Artists who make that bold move are more likely to discover high rent, high cost of basic goods, and a staggering decline in their standard of living than they are of discovering an art dealer-- or other influential individuals-- who will “discover” their artwork.

Visual artists flock to NYC for the same reason that actors flock to Hollywood-- the dream of becoming a star (though most will deny that if you ask them directly). The dream of finding someone who will magically propel you to stardom can root deep into your soul if you allow it. Unfortunately, the powerful individuals with the professional backing to cultivate your career-- artificially or otherwise-- are few and far between. Not to mention that they are likely preoccupied with artists whom they have already invested time and money in. In reality, it is doubtful that any of them will care about your financial situation or the sacrifices that you have made to make your dream a reality. NYC is not the place to play the world’s smallest violin-- few ears will listen. The dreams slowly fades-- the artist is left puzzled and defeated by his or her own ill planning due to the embrace of one of the most basic of artist myths.

My words, though harsh, offer only a small glimpse of the reality a small town artist is apt to face when chasing dreams in a big city. Call me a dream crusher if you want-- you don’t have to take my word for it. Having interviewed hundreds of artists I can tell you that cities, such as NYC, are tough ground to travel. Even famous artists whom I’ve interviewed-- the late realist painter Sylvia Sleigh, the Pop Art icon James Rosenquist (though he does not exactly appreciate the Pop Art label he has been stamped with for decades), and performance art legend Vito Acconci-- have suggested that mainstream success is hard to come by and even harder to maintain in NYC. Point blank-- moving to a big city, such as NYC, will not automatically open the golden gates of the mainstream art world upon your arrival.

Reaching a high level of instant success is a very rare occurrence no matter where you live. Thus, those who dream big in that respect often face a tragic reality in the big city they now call home. It is a gritty reality to find oneself in. The expense of living in a big city, such as NYC, can easily chip away at funds no matter how they are allocated. Those who move to a big city with reckless abandon will likely face hardship. Misfortune of that nature can easily devastate ones artistic direction. Suddenly the artist who arrived with hopes of success becomes little more than someone trying to scrape a living-- more so than he or she ever thought possible. End result-- the practice of creating art suffers.

The lure of canvas, clay, or camera does not have the call that it once had when a formerly small town artist is faced with the task of big city survival. I’m not suggesting that said fate is met by every small town artist who uproots to a big city. Those who plan well-- especially if they have a supporting partner or are financially secure-- can thrive where others falter. My point is that a permanent change of location-- though an obvious solution-- is not always the best answer for a small town artist who desires to solve the problem of distance.

It is true that there are specific areas in most major cities that are assigned for low-income individuals-- such as the majority of visual artists. However, do keep in mind that said locations generally have strict regulations for consideration or are in the process of being surrounded by high profile real estate. Wealthy individuals love to experience those lovely bohemian dens-- and it does not take long before the artistically inclined are pushed out of their dwellings due to the rise in expense that naturally follows wealth. The easy breaks for artists living in a big city are always on the verge of crumbling in a way that is not in their favor. That is one reality that you can be certain of.

There are rational options to explore if you feel that you must live in a big city, NYC for example, in order to physically network with various art professionals. For example, you could rent an apartment on a short term basis-- perhaps the span of a summer-- in order to focus on attending exhibit openings, making art-related acquaintances, and scoping out art galleries in general. Obviously this option entails having the financial resources and luxury of time needed to sustain such activity. That said, it is a far more rational choice than to uproot your entire life on a gamble.

Another option for living in NYC-- or any other major cultural hub-- is to find artists who are seeking roommates. Situations like that are more common than you might think-- and with a bit of research it can be a perfectly safe alternative. If you take this route, be sure to show your fellow artist courtesy by explaining your intentions-- that you will only be living in the city briefly.

Both of the options mentioned above involve expense. However, both are far cheaper than settling in a big city permanently. If you feel that you must experience living and creating within a large cultural hub I would strongly advise that you do one or the other instead of uprooting yourself and changing your entire way of life. After all, a few months of concentrated exploration is more than enough time to seek out opportunities and to see if anything will come of them. Those months can also help you to decide if a permanent move is viable.

In closing, moving is an obvious solution to the problem of distance that so many small town artists face when seeking gallery representation or mere exhibit opportunities. However, an abrupt move to a big city can be detrimental to the success of an artist who previously lived in a small town. There is a world of difference between the two locations. A small town artist who is thinking of moving permanently to a big city must take caution. Going the distance-- in this sense-- often results in taking a step too far.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

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Thoughts On Drawing

Canadian Artist, Alison Norlen is, I think addicted to drawing. This is not a bad addiction to have, in my opinion. The foundation of a good painting, it is said, and I do believe, is a good drawing. The scale of Alison Norlen's monumental drawings are inspiring, remarkable and staggering to me. She is fearless, in that she is not intimidated by size, challenging herself in the task of creating huge detailed renderings. She freely and easily moves into sculptural and architectural like constructions which are just as impressive if not more so considering what the three dimensional sculpture entails, when it comes to large scale art work. Her passion for drawing extends beyond the two dimensional and is transformed into sculpture and can be seen as a continuum of the drawn line.

Drawing for me has always been is a foundational corner stone of the creative process and the benefits of it transcends, extends into greatly informing other art disciplines and practices. Drawing is a natural and inherent expression to create that we are all born with, and I believe as an artist I need to stay grounded in, in order to thrive creatively regardless of what medium I choose to express myself in.

As an artist and a musician, I would compare drawing to learning to play the piano. Learning the piano is a foundational instrument that gives you the ability to apply practical, theoretical and musical skills, to make it easier to learn and enable one to become accomplished at playing other instruments.

Like the piano, drawing is a discipline that helped me learn that discipline is not something that can be imposed and done through force or obligation and cannot be the reason for the practice. At some point, one has to decide the reason you do it. It must be because you want to do it, and the result is a freedom, to create and accomplish more, and not being afraid to make mistakes.

Preoccupation or being precious about what we create is constricting and limits us as artists and people. Involving ourselves in the free creative process is where we find the creativity to create and change.

“Like Vegas; you tear it down, you rebuild it, and it still has some of the grime. That ever-changing element is how we live; it’s how we conduct ourselves in our environment. We have to constantly compromise and change and, perhaps, be disappointed.”

- Alison Norlen

The Change In Farming

The Change In Farming

Listening to CBC Radio as I do every day I heard a repeat of this show that I've heard many times and wanted to share it. It is a very touching and I think a profound sound piece that has an important message for those who want to listen.

I found a wonderful egg tempera painter by the name of Altoon Sultan. These are some of her farm paintings.