Walking AND Looking

Most every artist will tell you that for them making art is way more important to than selling it or even exhibiting it. That the creation of each painting, drawing or sculpture is for the moment the most important thing they are doing, and if questioned further, they will admit that when completed, that work of art will be eclipsed by the next painting, drawing or sculpture.

Like it or not, I have to admit that's my studio practice in a nut shell. I have once again spent the year focused on crafting three art projects. Three really great, pushing my boundaries, all consuming art projects. They now languish as the top layer of the art pile. I am now starting on my next really great, boundary pushing, all consuming painting, drawing, or sculpture.

I have been walking through the woods so focused on each footstep that I am completely missing the forest. That by not spending the time and energy to get the artwork exhibited I will never really see what this path has to shown me.

With this in mind, I am sending in a proposal to the Lawndale Art Center, Applying for a grant from The Idea Fund, and once again applying for the artists residency at Artpace.

Up Lifting View from Texas Museums

I just got back from the 2011 Texas Association of Museum Conference. 3 days of lectures, group discussions and workshops with 388 people that work in museums from across the state, museums like the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, as well as hundreds of smaller historic museums, historic parks, historic houses, culture centers, libraries, and foundations.

Between the sessions a lot of the coffee talk was about the resent cuts to the Texas Commission on the Arts, the Texas Historical Commission, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife. That said, the overall atmosphere of the conference was upbeat, with sessions focusing on Do it yourself public relations, Developing partnerships and Resource building. A Yes this sucks, and it's going to continue to suck, so let's make the best of it attitude prevailed. I for one, came away invigorated by the commoratery and the positive problem solving attitudes.

Next year, the TAM conference with be in San Antonio, March 27-30th. I'll be participating as part of an Art Conservation roundtable. More on that next March.